Family
by Zilo Sugarpill
Summary: .AU. Riza's dry cleaning errand turns into saving a badly injured boy from a fight. When she gets him home, she finds he's a gang member and decides to help him recover. She wants to change the boy's life, but will he want to? Will his gang let him?
1. Kid In The Gang

**Warning! **T for language, violence, blood, death and more violence!  
**Written By: **Zilo  
**Beta: **Maruka Gomez  
**Special Thanks to: **Charmaine for the challenge!  
**Other Junk: **Lots of parentalness being thrown at Ed, mostly from Riza, maybe from Roy. Envy attempts to be a brother...this ought to be good. And, no surprise, Roy and Riza are married.

* * *

I got a challenge from my best friend Charmaine. She said to me "write a darkish fic about a gang with RoyRiza in it, and that weird sarcastic humor you like to use." So, ladies and gents, here it is in all its dark-y, RoyRiza-y, sarcastic glory. Enjoy!

* * *

Guess who doesn't own FMA or Bluebird's Illusion? Oh, oh, me!

* * *

1: Kid In The Gang  
_Tuesday, April 7th_

It wouldn't have happened if Roy wasn't so careless with coffee.

Roy Mustang was an avid coffee drinker. When the sun went up, he got coffee. When the sun went down, he got coffee. If he ever felt happy, sad, angry, crazy, stupid, depressed, confined, bored, sleepy, or alert, he got coffee. Somehow, even after years of drinking coffee for every occasion, his dazzling smile still remained pearly white and caused the girls to swoon.

Most of them, anyway.

Roy had loved coffee since college. Coffee became his best friend during many a late-night cram session. If it weren't for coffee Roy might still be in college now. And of course, if it weren't for coffee, this story might not exist. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Two days earlier, Roy came home from his generic job-where-you-wear-a-suit-and-sit-in-a-cubicle-in-an-office-building, bone-weary. He took off his shoes, made a pot of coffee, and then poured himself a cup and went off in search of his wife. Riza, the aforementioned wife, owned the storefront next door, where she sold weapons and ammunition, as well as weapon manuals and encyclopedias.

On his way, Roy must have stepped a little too vigorously, for when he finally found his wife going over a box of ammo in the storage room, there were coffee spots all over his dress shirt.

Needless to say, Riza was not pleased. That was why five minutes later, Roy, changed into some more casual clothes, left the house with his stained shirt and took it to the dry cleaners. The man at the counter assured him it would be fine, and that he could come and get it in two days.

Which brings us back to today, April 7th. At 7:00 PM Riza closed shop early and decided to show Roy a little mercy by going to get his dry cleaning for him. He had come home an hour ago, dog-tired, and crashed on the couch without even removing his shoes. "Did you take it to the one down the street?" she asked him, putting on her jacket.

Roy mumbled something that sounded like an affirmative. His arm was thrown over his eyes as he sprawled on the sofa.

Riza smiled faintly down at her husband. He may have been a bit careless when it came to drinking coffee, but he was a very hard worker. When they had first gotten married, nine years ago, he had demanded to know what her plans were for children. Riza had responded that she wanted a small amount in the future, perhaps one or two, and that she would like to be able to stay home and raise them. To that Roy vehemently responded, "And so you shall!" He had, from that point, opened a savings account to save up money for when they did have children. He cared about making her happy, and she appreciated that.

"I'll be back shortly," she said as she opened the door.

Roy mumbled something that sounded like another affirmative, and Riza shook her head. She stepped outside of their cozy home and shut the door, making sure to lock it behind her, because she figured he wouldn't. The sun was on its way down, but the dry cleaners' wasn't too far away. It would be fine.

* * *

"Please, have a great night, Mrs. Mustang!" the man behind the counter said jovially. 

"Thank you, Herb, you as well." Riza escorted her husband's freshly cleaned shirt out of the cleaners. She hit the keyless entry and unlocked the back door, planning to hang the shirt up on the hook inside, over the door. Something caught her eye and she turned to see a newspaper dispenser at the corner.

_Hmmm. Might as well. _Riza hung the shirt up and then shut the door. She hit the keyless entry to lock the car and then headed over to the dispenser, heels clicking on the sidewalk. She and Roy both liked the paper. Whenever they had breakfast together they would divide up the sections and then comment on what they read. It was an enjoyable time for them, and they hadn't gotten this week's paper yet.

Riza pulled open the dispenser and pulled out a paper. The front page story was about the six-car pile-up from Friday. Riza skimmed it briefly on her way back to the car.

A strange noise made Riza's head snap up, and she looked around curiously. Nothing but the sound of Central settling down for the night. The sun was almost completely down.

"Probably someone dropped something," Riza said to herself, starting back to the car again. She unlocked the door and tossed the paper onto the passenger seat.

A loud crash made her head lift again. This time, however, Riza saw two figures that had just busted through the second-story window of an old building across the street from her. As Riza watched, shocked, one of the figures sailed far enough, over her head, to crash into the building opposite about halfway down and fall to the ground. The second figure landed upright in the middle of the street, glass raining down on them. Riza ducked to avoid the bits of glass.

Riza turned to examine the one who had fallen behind her. She was surprised to find a rather slight figure lying facedown, pushed up against the wall. Whoever they were, they had dark hair and were wearing dark clothes and fingerless gloves. She couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl, since their arms were hiding their face, but the figure's arms and exposed midriff were covered in cuts and bruises. They were still breathing, but didn't look to be in any condition to move.

Turning, Riza faced the one in the street, who was now advancing. She saw that it was a tall, rather muscular man also clad in black, with dark hair that shot up in spikes, wearing sunglasses. He didn't look very worse for the wear. If these two had been in a fight, then the one behind her had been losing drastically. But this man looked full grown, and the figure behind her couldn't be much more than a child. This was incredibly wrong and one-sided, no matter what the child might have done.

"You'd better step aside, lady," the guy said, grinning smugly. Riza noticed the gun in his right hand. "Things are about to get ugly."

_I've got to protect this child. _Without further ado, Riza reached into her purse, pulled out a gun, and leveled it at the man. He stopped, as if surprised.

"Step away," Riza said calmly, though her heart was beating faster.

"What's it to you?" the man sneered. "This doesn't concern you at all."

"It does now," Riza said.

The guy snorted, but he didn't advance. "Do you even know who you're protecting?" he asked.

"I don't care. You shouldn't beat up and then shoot a child," Riza said.

The guy glared at her, but she held steady. Riza naturally had a soft spot for kids and teenagers, and she didn't know what was going on, but she certainly wouldn't stand by while one was shot. "Leave," she said in a quiet but firm tone.

"I don't think you're going to shoot me," the man said, starting to advance again. He raised his own gun. "I'll tell you again. Leave and I'll think about spa--"

Before he could get another word in, Riza fired. The man's right shoulder snapped back, and he dropped his gun and swore loudly. "What the hell?" he roared, his free hand going to the wound.

"I told you two times to leave," Riza said, preparing for a second shot. "I don't like repeating myself. _Leave the child alone._"

A pause, as the guy seemed to size her up. "You're a fool," he said to her, even as he backed away to the left, down the street. The barrel of Riza's gun followed. "It's not over," he added, before turning and hurrying away, clutching his injured shoulder.

Riza waited until he was completely out of sight, and his footsteps had faded, to breathe a sigh of relief and drop her gun back in her purse. She turned and hurried to the figure, kneeling down beside them. "Are you conscious? Can you hear me?"

There was silence, then a barely audible groan. Riza carefully checked for any broken bones, and was relieved not to find any. "I'm going to call an ambulance for you," she said, reaching into her purse again, this time for her cell phone.

The word "ambulance" seemed to spur the figure into action. Riza had the phone in her hand and was just about to flip it open when the figure grabbed one of her hands with their own. Riza looked at the figure in surprise, to find herself staring into the beat-up face of a boy. He was shaking his head, his eyes squeezed shut as if that caused pain itself. Blood was running from cuts on his cheek, mouth, and eye. He looked awful.

"You need an ambulance," Riza said firmly. "You're badly hurt."

Slowly, the boy tried to sit up. Riza's hands went to his shoulders to both steady him and stop him. "Don't try moving; it's not safe." But he persisted. He seemed to want to get out of there very quickly, now that Riza had mentioned the ambulance. This didn't pass Riza's notice. _Is he a criminal? _she thought. If he was, he was a very young one, and he still needed help.

"Listen," Riza said, "you need to get cleaned up and bandaged. It would be a good idea to go to the hospital..."

The boy tried to get to his knees but sank back with a sharp intake of air.

Riza sighed heavily. "If you're so dead-set against being picked up by an ambulance, at least let me take you home and help you."

He was still trying to get up. Riza tightened her hold on his shoulders. "You can't just walk off with these injuries. Let me help."

"I'm..._fine_," he ground out. His voice sounded like he had spent the previous day screaming his lungs out, it was so dry and raspy.

"I'm not letting you go like this," Riza said firmly, exchanging her cellphone for her gun. She pointed it at his head, and he seemed to recognize that his brains were in danger. "You either let me call the ambulance, or you let me take you home."

The boy's hands clenched into fists against the ground, but trying to stand seemed to have sapped all his strength. He let his muscles relax almost too quickly, and Riza had to catch him. "You're mean," he rasped.

"So my husband tells me," Riza replied as she pulled his arm over her shoulder. Something caught her eye, and she glanced down at his left shoulder, only to do a double take. Tattooed in red on his shoulder was a six-point star, surrounded by a snake with detached wings eating its own tail. _No wonder he was so adamant against the ambulance,_ Riza thought, recognizing the mark of a gang member. _But he's so young. How terrible_.

She helped him stand, leaning heavily against her, and managed to half-carry, half-drag him to the car. Unlocking the door, Riza helped him get into the passenger seat, not caring that he sat on the newspaper, then reclined it a little so he was in a more comfortable position. She dutifully buckled the seatbelt around his waist, and her hands came back bloody. Riza pulled a page of the newspaper out to wipe her hands on as she went around the car. A thought occurred to her, and she got her cellphone back out, speed-dialing the house.

It rang three times before a grumpy-sounding Roy answered. "_'Llo?_"

"It's me," Riza said, getting into the driver's seat and shutting the door. "I need you to meet me outside when I get back."

"_Why?_"Roy grumped.

"I'm going to have to ask you to just do it," Riza told him, buckling her seatbelt and starting the car.

There were a couple of sleepy sighs, and then, "_All right, all right. Am I meeting something besides you and the dry cleaning?_"

"Yes you are," Riza confirmed. "I'm already on my way, so get off the couch."

Another sigh. "_All right. Meet you outside._"

Riza hung up and dropped her cell phone back into her purse.

"Where are you taking me?"

Riza looked over at the boy, who now had his head resting against the glass. His eyes were still closed. "To my house," she said. "Since you don't want to go to the hospital, I can't let you bleed to death in some alley. I'm going to patch you up."

"And then?" He sounded as though he were losing consciousness.

Honestly, Riza hadn't thought up to that point. But she supposed something would come to her. "We'll have to see," she said.

The boy was silent. Riza guessed that he must have passed out at that point.

* * *

At the Mustang residence...

Roy, now fully awake with coffee in hand, watched as his wife's car pulled up into their driveway. He was a little grumpy about his nap being interrupted, but he would get over it. Besides, he wanted to know what was so important that he had to be out here to see it.

As he watched, Riza turned the car off and opened the door. She looked unusually solemn, and Roy saw a weird streak or two of some dark stain across the front of her white blouse. She motioned for him to come over as she circled around to the passenger side, and Roy grudgingly did so. "Did you find some stray animal or something?" he guessed.

"Something like that," Riza told him, opening the passenger door carefully, as if the car would explode if she opened it too fast. She quickly reached in and caught something that appeared to have been leaning against the window. Roy couldn't tell what it was because of the tinted windows, at least until Riza swung the door wide open.

Roy's eyes widened, and he dropped his coffee. "What the...Who the hell is that?"

"He was under attack," Riza said matter-of-factly, shifting the unconscious boy that now leaned completely on her. "A grown man pushed him out of a window and was going to shoot him. I need your help to get him in the house."

"Why aren't we taking him to the hospital?" Roy asked incredulously as he stepped in and lifted the boy up, bridal-style. The boy was cut and bruised up all over his face, arms, and stomach, and those were just the injuries Roy could see.

"We can't," Riza said, shutting the door and hustling her husband and his new load into the house. "He didn't want to go. We need to stop the bleeding."

"Like hell he didn't!" Roy exclaimed. "He needs to go. We can't help him like they can at a hospital."

"Roy, he _can't_," Riza emphasized. She tapped the boy's left shoulder. "Just look here. He's a part of a _gang_."

Roy stared at her. "...A gang?" he repeated. "Which one?"

Riza shrugged.

"Well, then, we definitely can't have him here. We could have our house shot up, or a car driven into the living room, or--"

"Roy." There was a pleading Riza's eyes that she usually didn't showcase.

They stared into each other's eyes for a while, until Roy sighed. "I can see what this means to you, and I'd like to go on record as saying this is a very bad idea."

"So noted," Riza said, a hint of relief in her voice.

"Where am I taking the kid?"

"The upstairs bath. We'll get him cleaned up there," Riza said, already heading for the stairs.

"Sometimes I think I love you too much. You're always giving me that look, and then I cave," Roy complained.

"That's why I married you. I need someone to constantly manipulate."

"Hey!"

Riza gave Roy a smile over her shoulder. "You know I always appreciate it," she said sincerely.

"Which is why I'm constantly manipulated," Roy said, smiling back. "Now tell me what the game plan is."

"I plan to take care of him," Riza said firmly as they reached the top of the stairs. "He's badly hurt, and he won't go to a hospital, so I'll have to play nurse."

"Oh really? Can I play doctor?" Roy asked, wiggling his brows.

"Later, Romeo. First we have to help him."

* * *

Everything hurt. His face, arms, back, legs...he felt like someone had run him over with a steamroller, then backed up and did it again. Even though he could feel the pain, it was as if he were feeling someone else's pain. His limbs weren't responding when he tried to move them. His fingers only twitched, and that too hurt. 

Someone nearby was speaking. It sounded like a woman, like _that _woman. The one with blond hair who had pointed a gun at him. He wanted to shiver, but he couldn't. Every sound he heard was murky, like he was hearing them through water.

The woman was talking in a strange way. She would speak, then stop, then speak more, then stop, then say a couple of "Mm-hmm"s and stop, and then do it over. Maybe she was on the phone. He tried to strain and hear what she was saying, but all too soon, he couldn't hear anything anymore, and he was gone.

He returned to semi-consciousness again, and it felt like he couldn't breathe. Like someone had stuffed a lit torch down his throat. He heard a murky boom of thunder, and it scared him. He had always hated thunderstorms.

There was another presence near him, and somehow he knew it was that woman. He tried to open his eyes, but the left one stung in protest, and he stopped trying. Something cold was lying over his eyes, and all his injuries seemed to be intensified by the storm. _Where am I? Where is this? Are the others here? _He tried to move, sit up, say something, but nothing worked. With dismay he felt himself slipping away again.

The woman said something in a low voice. He couldn't make out much because of the blurriness of her words. In a way, it reminded him of his mother's voice. He remembered times when he had gotten sick, his mother would sit with him, stroking his hair and saying comforting things to him. He missed her. He missed her so much.

When he next returned to partial reality, he could feel two presences in the room. One was that woman. They were having a conversation, and he could actually understand it.

"I'm leaving," a man's voice said. "You going to be all right?"

"I'll be fine," the woman replied, her voice much closer than the man's. "Have a good day at work."

"Yep." There was the sound of movement, and then, "Has he woken up at all?"

"Not really. He seems to be lapsing in and out of consciousness at times. I think he might have an infection from one of the wounds."

"Hmm." The man sounded thoughtful. "Want me to get anything while I'm out?"

"More bandages, and antibiotics, please," the woman said.

"Sure. And Riza?"

"Yes?" So that was her name. Riza.

There was silence, and then, "Nothing, I guess. I'll see you this evening."

"Yes." The faint sound of a door closing came after that, and he lost consciousness again.

* * *

****

Friday, April 10th

Riza had updated the sign she had put on the front door of her shop. It now said, _Closed for Illness. Please place Phone Orders. _She wanted to devote as much time as she could to helping the boy recover. When her business line rang on Friday, she knew who it must be and picked it up. "Riza's Armory." She immediately pulled the phone from her ear, and not a moment too soon.

"MRS. MUSTANG! IT IS I, ALEX LOUIS ARMSTRONG!"

"Hello, Alex," Riza said, putting the phone back up to her ear now that he was finished with his loud greeting.

"I noticed the sign on the front door. Is someone ill? TELL ME AND I SHALL BESTOW MEDICINE UPON YOU IMMEDIATELY!"

"Roy and I are fine," Riza said. "I'm just helping a friend of mine recover."

"Will you still be desiring next week's shipment?"

"Yes," Riza said, nodding. "If you wouldn't mind simply stowing everything in the storage room for me. I'll probably still be pretty busy."

"CERTAINLY! ALEX LOUIS ARMSTRONG WILL DO ALL HE CAN TO HELP! THE DESIRE TO AID FRIENDS IS A TRAIT THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS!"

Riza sighed while holding the phone at arm's length. "Thank you, Alex. I'll see you tomorrow."

"YES! A GLORIOUS DAY IT SHALL BE!"

Riza hung up. Once a week, Alex would bring a large shipment of merchandise for her store. Sometimes he was alone, and sometimes he brought Winry Rockbell. The both of them were good friends of the Mustangs. Usually when Winry arrived, it was to showcase another mechanical innovation of hers for Riza's store.

"Those two really helped my store get off the ground," Riza said aloud, looking into the guest room, where the boy was. He appeared to be unconscious again, and she came back in and sat down on the chair she had pulled up to the bedside. He now seemed to be sleeping peacefully, though his left arm would twitch every now and then. A couple of the wounds on that arm were swelling and starting to ooze pus. Riza feared she might not be properly helping him recover.

_But if I take him to the hospital, he'll be arrested once he's better. _She sighed. _I don't know why I just can't let that happen, but I can't_.

The boy twitched, and then exhaled slowly. Riza recognized the sign of his returning to consciousness. "Do you need anything?" she asked in a low voice, leaning forward slightly. Sometimes he would remain awake long enough to ask for water, and sometimes he would say "What...?" or "Where...?" but never finished.

He didn't say anything for a moment, and Riza took the opportunity to take the damp cloth off of his eyes and replace it with one from the stack on the nearby night table. The cut on his eyelid had scabbed over nicely, and it didn't seem like it would be a problem.

"W...Water?" he whispered.

"Of course." Riza already had a glass on the night table, and she had brought a bottle straight from the fridge.

"...Riza?"

Riza looked down at him in surprise. She didn't know he knew her name. "Yes?"

"Where..." There he went again. Riza waited patiently, but he didn't finish.

"You know my name," Riza said as she poured water into the glass, "but I don't know yours." She helped him sit up, putting pillows behind his back so he didn't have to exert himself. She was surprised again when he weakly cracked open his right eye, the one that wasn't cut. His eye, what she could see of it, appeared to be a very light hazel color at first, but as she looked at it more Riza realized that it was more of a golden color. It occurred to Riza that she had never seen his eyes open before.

"My...name?"

Riza nodded.

His open eye narrowed slightly, as if he were considering. He frowned thoughtfully, then took a deep breath as if preparing to speak.

"My name...I'm..." His eye focused briefly on Riza's face before shifting away. "Pride," he said.

Riza blinked "Pride? Is that a nickname?"

"Pride," he repeated, but he seemed to be fading away. Riza helped him drink some of the water before he fell asleep again.

PrideRiza thought, frowning as she held the half-empty glass. She looked down at the still figure. _What does it_ mean?

Now she was curious.

* * *

Please review. 


	2. Made To Stay

Yay, I got reviews! Thanks to **Houran, Bar-Ohki, Katty, Koinu-chan, **and **lana-rinreed**. (dances happily) Oh, and you might want to know, Pride doesn't have all those little red mark things all over him (simply because I don't like them. They detract from his beauty XD). And instead of the miniskirt, he's got pants and shoes (there's a picture with him in the pants and shoes circulating somewhere...I'll have to find it and show ya). Now, enough talk. On with more sarcasm and delirium.

* * *

2: Made To Stay

"'Pride'? What kind of a name is that?" Roy said with a scowl, his arms laden with takeout.

"Obviously it's a nickname," Riza replied. She was using the reflection of the toaster to comb her hair in the kitchen.

Roy unloaded the takeout onto the counter. "Well, it's a _strange_ nickname," he commented.

Riza nodded. "It makes me wonder about him," she said.

"Oh no. My 'Curiosity killed the cat' senses are tingling," Roy said with a smirk.

Riza slapped his shoulder. "What did you bring us to eat?"

Roy gestured to the cartons of takeout with a flourish. "I got several different kinds. Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Spanish..."

"Roy, I'm sorry."

Roy looked up quickly. "You work hard all day, then have to go and get dinner," Riza said, her eyes and hands on a carton with a smiley face embossed on it. "I should still be pulling my weight, even if I'm taking care of this child--or Pride, as he says. It's not fair to you."

"I don't mind," Roy told her, putting an arm over her shoulders. "Besides, you're going to owe me big time after all this."

"Why are you always keeping a tally?" Riza asked, one brow raised.

Roy shrugged. "Because."

"Well, in that case, then you still owe _me _for taking up your last car payment when you suddenly couldn't," Riza said matter-of-factly.

"Aw." Roy's shoulders slumped. Riza smiled and patted his head.

* * *

He came to again, and Riza was there. She was always there. It comforted him to some extent, but a part of him was still scared. How long had he been here? Did the others know where he was? No, they couldn't. He didn't know this Riza woman, or the man who was sometimes here, talking to her. They must not know who he was associated with. 

His left arm felt like it was on fire. He wondered why it hurt so much more than everything else. His left eye didn't hurt at all anymore, and he was able to lift both lids for the first time since he had been in the fight. The skin over his left eyelid stretched a bit uncomfortably, but it didn't hurt as much as before.

Riza, of course, was there. She had a book. He couldn't tell what it was called. There was sunlight coming through the open window. Riza was talking on the phone, and she didn't seem to have noticed that he was awake. "Do they have the brand we got last time...well, then, what do they have?..."

His gaze shifted to the window. It looked like a normal window, easy to open and close. He couldn't see a screen from where he was lying, but even a screen wouldn't be too much trouble. He'd only need something sharp to cut it with. Of course, his escape would have to wait until he felt better than he did now.

"You're awake." Riza had finished her conversation when he wasn't looking, and now she was hovering over him again. "Do you need anything?"

Finally his mind was clear! He could get some answers. He took a deep breath, then started to speak. "Where..." His voice was cracked, and he cleared his throat harshly before starting over. "Where am I?"

"You're still in Central," Riza said in the low voice that she always spoke to him in. "This is my and my husband Roy's home, in the northside."

He exhaled slowly. "What happened?"

"You were being beaten up by a man," Riza said. "He pushed you out of a second-story window."

He shuddered. The fight came back to him in bits and pieces, and he remembered getting knocked through the window. After that, it was far too hazy. "Does he know where I am?"

"As far I know, he doesn't," Riza said. "I shot him."

He felt a rush of surprise. "You did?"

Riza nodded and pulled a gun from her purse, which was propped against the bed. "I always have a gun on me." She dropped it back into the purse and smiled softly. "This is the first time you've been even partially lucid. Do you need anything?"

"...I'm hungry."

Riza's smile broadened. "What do you have a taste for?"

"Anything. Anything at all."

He didn't want to look at her smile anymore. At this point, she was reminding him too much of his mother, besides the whole gun thing. He shifted his eyes away.

"By the way..."

Her tone made him glance back. Riza was looking uncertain about something. "Your name...do you really want us to call you Pride?"

He flinched. _When did I tell her my title? _It must have been in one of his delirious moments. He cursed himself for not being more careful. But she knew it now, and had no doubt relayed to this Roy person. "I guess," he sighed, wishing he could go back to the moment he had let it slip and erase it.

"All right. I'll bring something up to you."

Pride didn't respond. He was sleepy again.

* * *

****

Sunday, April 12th

Riza sat straight up, and her hand instinctively reached for the gun in her night table drawer. The alarm clock read 5:27 in glaring red letters.

Beside her, Roy stirred and groaned at the sudden movement in the bed. "Stop robbing banks, it's not healthy," he grumbled, still half-dreaming.

"Roy. Get up." Riza shook his shoulder. "I heard something."

"It was probably the fridge," Roy mumbled facedown in his pillow, trying hard to hold onto sleep.

"Get up or I'm putting a bullet through your foot."

Roy managed to stir himself. He sat up, hair wild and messy, eyes half-open. Riza was already fully awake, gun in hand, heading for the door of their room. She knew she had heard a noise, like someone had stumbled. If anyone had broken into their house, they were going to get it.

As she opened the door and stepped out into the hall, the thought crossed Riza's mind that it might be someone from Pride's gang coming after him. Well, they would say hello to her little friend as well. He wasn't going anywhere until he was fully recovered.

Then, another sound above. Riza's head turned up to the ceiling. Pride was in the guest room on the second floor. It might be. She noiselessly went to the stairs and climbed up. When she had reached the top, her eyes flicked down the hall before her and immediately fell on a small figure on their hands and knees in the darkness.

Riza trained her eyes and her gun on the figure before reaching over and hitting the light switch. The hall light flicked on, startling the hall into brightness. It was then easy for Riza to see that it was only Pride, his skin pale against his dark hair and the oversized black nightshirt of Roy's he wore.

"Oh," Riza said softly. She dropped her sights and hurried to Pride's side. "Are you all right? What are you doing?"

Pride was shaking and sweating from whatever exertion he had just been under. His left arm was flushed pink under its bandages. "I...I was...trying to get to the bathroom," he sighed.

"Here, let me help you up." Riza put her arms on Pride's shoulders and, letting him lean heavily on her, helped him to his feet. Pride's legs were unsteady, and he was forced to hold onto Riza to keep from falling. "You probably shouldn't get out of bed without help for a little while. Your arm has an infection, and it's probably sapping your strength."

Pride didn't answer to that, neither did he look at her.

"Did you find the intruder?" Roy's sleepy voice asked from behind them. Riza turned with Pride in tow, and Roy yawned. His hair looked better, but his eyes were still half-closed. "Just him? Joy. I'm going back to bed."

"Roy, he needs help to get to the bathroom," Riza said.

Roy blinked slowly, as if not understanding.

"Will you _take _him?"

"Oh. Yeah, sure." Roy slumped his way over.

* * *

After Roy helped Pride back to the guest room, Riza opted to stay with him, since she was now wide awake, and it was close to 6 AM anyway. Roy headed back to bed. 

So, when the sun finally started to show itself in the sky, Riza and Pride were in their usual places in the guest room. Riza was tending to Pride's swollen and infected arm, and Pride was staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.

"How long do you plan on keeping me here?"

Riza glanced up briefly from Pride's arm. "Until you're better," she said.

"And then?"

"I don't know. What do you plan on doing?"

Pride snorted, the first time Riza had heard any hint of attitude from him. "Getting out of here as soon as I can."

"And going where?" Riza asked. "Back to your gang?"

"It's not a gang," Pride snapped, sounding offended.

Riza looked back up, meeting his golden eyes, which were now flashing with anger. "What is it, then?" she asked, holding his gaze unwaveringly. She was slipping into what Roy called her "scary office mode"; her face and eyes turned solemn. It was how she dealt with all her problems, no matter how big or small.

"It's a family," he replied.

"I see," Riza said. "And was the man who attacked you a part of this 'family'?"

Pride flinched, then looked away. Riza stared steadily at the side of his head. "If that's true, why would you want to go back?"

He sighed. "You wouldn't understand."

"Wouldn't I? Is there something complicated about the fact that you're returning to the place where someone who pointed a gun at you is?"

"Like I said, you don't understand!" Pride snapped at the wall.

"Is the rest of your 'family' like him?"

"Greed is different! He's a damn psycho!"

Riza's brows raised ever so slightly, the only sign of her surprise. "'Greed'? Is that what he calls himself?"

Pride swore under his breath. "It doesn't matter. Just forget it."

"I will not," Riza replied. "Tell me why you'd make yourself vulnerable to someone you yourself call a psycho."

"I have to go back!" Pride yelled, turning to face her again. His face was angry. "I have to, all right?"

Riza didn't flinch. "Why?"

"Because!" Pride sucked in a big breath, and the anger seemed to leak out of him. He sagged back against his pile of pillows, looking defeated. "Because I...I just do. I can't...I can't leave, okay? I have to stay. I have to go back."

"Will they come after you if you don't go back?"

"Yes they will. That's what Greed was doing. He just...took it a little too far."

Riza's eyes narrowed. "So he was coming after you to force you back, you resisted...and he decided to kill you?"

Pride shrank back into his pillows. Riza could clearly tell from his body language that he was wishing he hadn't said a thing, but she was glad he had. He was an innocent child, swept up into some sadistic gang that wouldn't allow him out. The mere fact of that stunned her. From what she knew, gangs were indeed reluctant to give up members, but they would eventually let them go, though it was most likely that the leaving member would have to undergo a beating before being released. But to not let him leave at _all_?

"I want you to listen to me," Riza said, taking Pride's hand in both of hers. "You don't have to go back if you don't want to. You don't, do you?"

Pride didn't shake his head or anything. He slid an eye over to Riza briefly before looking away.

"If you don't want to go back," Riza went on, "then I want you to stay here."

Pride flinched and sat up. "Are you _crazy_? Do you know how dangerous it is with me being here already? There's no way in hell I can--"

Without missing a beat, Riza picked her gun back up and pointed it at Pride's head, stemming the flow of his words. "There is no way I'm letting you go back to wherever Greed and the rest of your 'family' is," she said calmly. "It's far too dangerous for you. I won't allow you to be hurt or killed by them. If you refuse to remain here, you'll have to make other arrangements."

Pride stared at her, unable to speak, afraid of the gun pointed at his temple.

"I don't care what happens. You're a child. You shouldn't be in a gang."

"It's not a gang, and I'm _not _a child!" Pride protested. "I'm fifteen years old!"

"Then you're a minor, which makes you a child."

"Damn it! What gives you the right to--"

Riza cocked her gun, and Pride once again found himself at a loss for words. "Do you know someone else who will let you stay with them?" she asked.

Pride glared at her, then slowly shook his head.

"Then you'll remain here."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

Pride uncomfortably shifted away from the gun. "Why would you care? You don't know me. I'm just some kid you happened to find. Why would you care what happens to me?"

Riza's eyes softened, and the gun dropped into her lap. "Why do you think I wouldn't care about you simply because I don't know you?"

Pride just stared at her sullenly, as if he didn't want to answer. "Are you going to force me to stay?" he finally asked.

"If I must. I won't see all my hard work and dedication helping you recover go to waste."

Pride snorted again.

"If you're going to stay here, perhaps you should tell me your real name."

He looked back up at her. "What for?"

"Well, what kind of a name is Pride?"

Pride sighed, a little unnerved under Riza's unwavering gaze. "I...I threw my real name away a long time ago."

"Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Riza nodded slowly. "Very well."

Pride glanced at her. "That's it? You aren't going to order me to tell you my real name, possibly at gunpoint?"

"You said you didn't want to talk about it. I'm respecting your wishes."

Pride looked surprised--and incredulous. "If I had known that was all it took, I would've said that a long time ago."

Riza smiled. "Maybe it's a good thing you didn't. I think you needed someone to talk to."

Pride arched an eyebrow, but he didn't deny it.

* * *

Later that day...

"You're wearing your phone on your hip?"

Riza looked up from the steaming pot and glanced down briefly at her cellphone, secure in its hip holster, before looking up at Roy. He, like her, slaved over his own steaming pot. They were making dinner together. "It's in case Pride needs anything. He has the cordless in his room." She tilted her head slightly. "Why?"

Roy shrugged. "Just wondering." He grimaced as a puff of steam slapped him in the face. "So you really want to keep him, huh?"

"Don't talk about him like he's a puppy," Riza admonished, putting a top on her pot and wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "But yes, I do."

Roy stretched his back. "I don't think it's safe, Riza. I mean, he's a part of a gang. And one, like you said, that doesn't allow its members to leave, period. What if they come storming in to get him? We'll get caught in the crossfire."

"Are you afraid of dying?" Riza asked.

"What?" Roy looked surprised. "I guess not, but the point is, we don't _have_ to die."

"Yes, of course. All we have to do is kick out an innocent child and let _him _die," Riza said, turning her back on Roy and heading to the sink.

Roy sighed. Even though neither her tone nor her face had changed a bit, he knew he had made his wife mad. He followed her to the sink and put his hands on her shoulders as she turned on the water. "Riza, I'm sorry. I just don't want you getting hurt valiantly going off to save a poor, oppressed child. I just want you to be careful, okay?"

"I know," Riza said, washing her hands. "But I can't abandon him, Roy, you know that."

"I didn't say we should. I just think we need to be very, very careful about this."

"They don't even know where he is," Riza said.

Roy shrugged. "For now, anyway."

* * *

Pride had been staring disinterestedly at the ceiling, wondering how he had allowed himself to say so much to Riza. There were some things people on the outside just shouldn't know. How had he so easily told her so much? Especially since she had had him at gunpoint. Or maybe it was _because _she had had him at gunpoint. 

Was it really that she was easy to talk to? It couldn't be. Pride didn't make friends. He was distant and cold. He didn't talk to people, and maybe this was why. He couldn't hold in a single secret! If he wasn't careful, he'd end up telling Riza his whole life story.

Of course, that was none of her business. Pride hadn't shared his life with anyone.

"You're such a closed-up shell. Too proud to talk to people, eh?"

That was the image that he gave off. He didn't talk because he was proud. He didn't spend time with anyone because he was proud. That was why the others had said the title Pride was so fitting. He wanted them to think that, because he didn't want them knowing who he really was, what he had done to his own family.

Pride heaved a sigh. Maybe this was why he was having so much trouble now. He might have dug his own grave. Literally. He remembered what Greed had said to him during their fight, and it scared him.

"Do you really think we're going to let you go?" Greed tapped the back of his hand, where his own Ouroborus mark was located. "There's a reason we get these tattoos, Pridey. Once you join, YOU DON'T LEAVE."

Pride shivered and covered his eyes. His finger brushed the thin scab that stretched across his left eyelid, and he grimaced. He was going to have a _lot_ of battle scars when he finally healed.

There was a knock on the door, and Pride uncovered his eyes as the door opened and Riza's husband walked in. Roy. That was his name. "My wife cordially invites you to lunch downstairs with us, instead of in here," Roy said. "Care to join us?"

Pride sat up, wincing as he forgot about the soreness of his left arm. It didn't hurt too badly, though, fortunately. "Um, sure," he said.

* * *

Please review again. It's much appreciated! 


	3. Once They Get A Taste

I got reviews again! (hands out cookies) Thanks to **Bar-Ohki **(I do too)**, Katty **(awww, thank you!)**, Guardian Angel of Wolves **(I shall! Don't worry!) and** Koinu-chan **(Never seen L. At least you like one of them, though, right?). Now, to thank you more, another chapter commences. Enjoy!

**

* * *

**

**3: Once They Get A Taste...**

**Thursday, April 13th**

Riza sighed pleasantly as she pulled the sign off her store's door and twisted the lock. Riza's Armory could now get started back up. Pride was recovering wonderfully now, and could remain awake and lucid almost all day. Riza was able to go back more and more to her usual routine, though if her cellphone rang with the house number, she would be upstairs in a second to check on him.

The infection was improving every day. Pride's arm was still a little sore and pink, but it didn't hurt as much if he bumped it into anything. Riza hoped that he didn't plan to try and get away once he was better. She knew in her heart that his returning to that gang, or family or whatever he called it, was dangerous, especially if this Greed person was a part of the same gang/family. If Riza ever saw that man again, she wouldn't hesitate to put several bullets in his rear.

"You have a store?"

Riza turned around to see Pride behind her, dressed in one of Roy's old dress shirts and the dark pants and shoes he had shown up in. The shirt's sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, exposing the bandages on his forearms. Riza noted that Pride's skin was a much healthier color now, and his hair, an odd dark green color, looked like it had been recently de-tangled. Realizing she had been asked a question, Riza smiled. "Yes," she said, pushing the door open. "Want to see?"

Pride shrugged noncommittally, and he followed her inside. Inside, rows upon rows of guns in all different shapes and sizes hung on sets of hooks on all four walls. Instead of aisles, there were waist-high--for Riza, anyway--glass cases with more guns and knives arranged neatly inside. The front counter was one giant glass case, filled with yet more weapons, and near the front counter was a spin rack of soft cover books.

"Wow," Pride said. The storefront wasn't huge, but the assortment of deadly weapons was nearly flattening. "This is amazing."

"It used to be much smaller," Riza commented, flipping on the last light.

"How long have you been selling, uh...guns and things?"

"About two years now. It pays well and home is right next door." Riza watched as Pride examined an old rifle up on the wall. "Do you like guns?"

A shudder ran through Pride, and he turned away from the display. "No," he said firmly. "Um, I'm going back to...the house." He exited quickly, as though the mention of him liking guns spooked him.

Riza watched him go, mentally shooting herself in the head. Of course. Pride was in a gang. It was very likely he had had a bad experience with guns, and Riza had just gone and rubbed it in. She quickly left the store and found him crossing the small parking lot that separated the storefront from the house's yard.

"Pride!" Riza called out, hurrying to catch up with him. Her high heels clicked against the concrete as she reached his side. "I'm sorry. I should have been more sensitive. I didn't realize--"

"Forget it," Pride said, glancing up at her briefly. "I just don't like guns, is all."

Riza gazed at him. "Are you sure?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

"You do know that it's all right to talk, don't you?"

Pride looked up at her in surprise.

"If you need to get things off of your chest, I'm always there to listen," Riza said, now gazing into the distance as if remembering. "You don't have to hold it in."

Pride heaved a breath and looked away. Riza watched him for a moment, but he didn't reply, so she gave his back a gentle push in the direction of the house. Pride needed no more goading and started off for the house again.

* * *

"Riza, you can't expect him to just pour out his life to you," Roy commented over the newspaper that evening. "He's a gang member. They're notoriously tight-lipped, remember? Besides, he probably resents you for forcing him to stay here." 

Riza sighed. "I guess," she said. They were gathered in the study, Roy with a newspaper, and Riza with a gun she was cleaning. The TV was on, but the sound had been turned off. Two news anchors happily mouthed to each other about the latest crisis in Central.

"I just wish I could reach him," Riza went on, pulling out some gun part covered in unidentifiable gunk. "He's always trying to keep up this tough outer shell, but inside there must be a 15-year-old boy who needs help. I see it sometimes, when he forgets to guard himself. I want to reach that boy."

"Maybe that's not for you to decide," Roy said as he straightened out the paper with a shake.

Riza cleaned her gun guts silently. Roy glanced at her over the sports section.

"I want to help him," she said.

"But you can't force help on him if he doesn't want it," Roy pointed out.

Riza sighed again. "I know. I suppose I just _want _him to want it."

A smile played across Roy's face. "And hence, the endless loop spins on," he said like a Shakespearian scholar.

"Be quiet," Riza said, obviously fighting her own smile.

* * *

****

Friday, April 14th

"TWELVE BOXES OF AMMUNITION!" Alex Armstrong boomed. "SIXTEEN GUNS! SEVEN PROJECTS! AND A BOX OF CHEERFUL DECORATIONS!"

Riza's eye twitched slightly. "Yes, it's all here," she said.

"This one is my favorite!" 15-year-old Winry Rockbell dived into one of the boxes and pulled out a bunch of gun pieces, blue eyes sparkling. "Every part is old, but they're all in such great condition! I can't wait to put them together!"

Riza smiled. "How long would you like to stay?" she asked as she helped a shirtless Alex put the boxes on shelves in the storage room.

"I can only stay a couple of days. Grandma needs me back at the shop," Winry explained. Whenever Winry brought a project that the two of them would work on, she would stay a few days. She had her own room in the Mustang home, with ready clothes and other necessary items.

"All right, then."

Riza's cellphone suddenly went off. She looked down and checked the number. It was the house line. "Oh, I've got to do something. Alex, if you wouldn't mind stacking the rest of the boxes..."

"Not at all!" Alex replied, flexing.

"Winry, why don't you come with me? You can meet our other houseguest."

Winry agreed, and the two blonde women left through the back door and crossed the parking lot and yard to the Mustang home.

"Who's staying with you?" Winry asked.

"Someone I met a little while ago," Riza said matter-of-factly. "He was very sick, so I decided to take care of him." She unlocked the front door and headed for the stairs, Winry close behind.

"And he's got you on speed dial?" Winry teased. "What does Roy think?"

"He's only fifteen, so Roy has nothing to fear," Riza replied.

They climbed the stairs together and turned into the first door on the right. Riza looked around, but she didn't see Pride. "Hmm. I wonder where he is?" she wondered aloud.

A noise made them both turn. "That sounded like it came from the bathroom," Winry commented.

Riza hurried to the upstairs bathroom and pushed open the door. An awful stench smacked her in the face. Behind her, Winry covered her nose. "Ugh! That smells awful! Who--"

It didn't take long for Riza to discover the cause of the very unpleasant smell. Pride was slumped over the toilet, looking for all the world like a corpse. His white shirt had a stain down the front, indicating he had missed the mark at least once. The cordless lay on the floor by his foot.

Riza immediately went to him and got down on her knees. She pushed his hair away from his face. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Pride made some sort of motion like shaking his head before he flinched and leaned over the toilet again. Riza held his hair back as he emptied the last few contents of his stomach into the water. "Winry, could you go get some water? There are some bottles in the fridge," Riza said.

Winry blinked. "Sure." She took off like a shot down the stairs.

Pride's chest was heaving from the exertion of repeated barfing. Riza rubbed his back in circular motions, trying to help him calm down. "Did something you ate upset your stomach?" she asked, flushing the toilet.

"I don't know," Pride ground out, holding his stomach with one hand and covering his eyes with the other.

"Well, whatever it was, it's out now," Riza said. "Your body was probably just cleaning itself out. You might recover faster now."

Pride's breathing slowly began to get under control. Riza continued rubbing his back. Winry showed back up with a bottle and a glass. Riza took both with thanks and filled the glass up. "Pride, rinse your mouth out at the sink and then drink this," she instructed.

"Pride?" Winry repeated as Pride slowly roused himself, leaning on Riza a little. "Is that a nickname?"

"Yeah, it's short for Puraidope(1)," Pride growled, sounding a little annoyed. He turned on the sink and scooped water into his mouth.

Winry looked a little put off. "It was just a question. You don't have to bite my head off," she said defensively.

Pride glared at her as he rinsed his mouth, then turned the water off. "You don't have to ask," he said.

"Hey, what's your problem, huh?" Winry demanded.

"Stop it you two," Riza said in her I'll-get-my-gun-in-two-seconds tone. She handed the water to Pride.

"Fine," Winry said. "I'll go check on Mr. Armstrong and see if he needs any help." She spun on her heel and left the bathroom. Riza helped Pride back to his bed. "You didn't have to snap at her," she said.

"You didn't have to use my title in front of her," Pride replied, his throat a little sore now.

"What do you have against that?"

"The more people who know who I am, the easier it is for me to be found," Pride replied, two seconds off snapping. "You really _want_ your house to get shot up in the night, or have a warning written in your husband's blood on the door?"

Riza didn't show any signs of being startled by such gruesome ideas. "Is your gang really that adamant about not letting you leave?" she said.

"It's not a gang," Pride replied automatically. "And yes. If you want to live, you better do your damnedest to keep my being here a secret. Why's that girl here anyway?"

"She's staying for a couple of days."

"Why?" Pride sat back up sharply. "You wanna get her family killed too? Are you stupid or--"

Riza pulled her gun out and pointed it his head. Pride instantly acquired laryngitis.

"Let me tell you something," Riza said, her voice steel. "You will not threaten me in the pretense of warning me. You will not try to convince me how dangerous it is to have you here. And above all, you will _not _insult my intelligence. Are we clear?"

Pride swallowed hard and nodded.

"Remember that and we'll get along beautifully." Riza put her gun back in her purse.

Pride let out a breath. "I just don't get you," he grumbled, lying down and turning away.

"You don't have to get me. Just accept my help."

"I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"Just because!"

Riza frowned. "What kind of a reason is that? Certainly there's some reason you'd refuse the chance of a better life."

"Better for who?"

"For you, of course."

"No it wouldn't!" Pride yelled at the wall. "I'd spend all my time looking over my shoulder, wondering if they'd found me yet, if they were following me to see where I was so they could kill the people there!"

"So you're afraid they'd kill us?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm afraid they'd kill you, and then kill me. Okay?!"

Riza watched Pride's back for a moment. Pride refused to turn around. Finally she said, "What makes you think we can't defend ourselves?"

"You never could. You'd die. And then it would be my fault for not leaving."

Riza tilted her head slightly, carefully storing this information away. "So is that why you want to go back? So no one will die by your hand?"

"Yes. All right? Yes, that's it." Pride sounded exasperated.

But Riza didn't let up. "Why does that bother you? From what I hear, your gang, or whatever you'd like to call it, kills on a regular basis. Don't you take part?"

"No! I'm not like them!" Pride yelled.

"Then why are you with them?"

"I didn't have a choice!"

"They forced you?"

"No! Stop...stop talking to me!"

Riza pressed on, certain she was getting somewhere. "If they didn't force you, why did you join?"

Pride didn't say anything. "Pride?" Riza said questioningly.

He didn't say anything. Riza waited.

"I've killed someone, you know," he finally said in what sounded like a weary tone.

"Why?" Riza asked.

Pride tensed for a second. "I have an older brother," he finally said in a very quiet voice. "I was with him, and we were attacked by a group from a rival gang. They tried to ambush us, but we were too strong. Then he pulled out a gun and he shot them all, except for one. He gave me the gun, and I shot the last guy three times. After that I never picked up another gun. I just beat people up."

"Is that why you don't like guns?" Riza asked.

"I guess. It's not like I'm scared. I can use them if I have to. I just don't want to."

"So your older brother is a part of this gang?" Riza went on, drawing from the story.

"It's not a gang, but yeah. He's the one who..." Pride trailed off suddenly and was quiet.

Riza waited, but he didn't finish. "Who what? What did he do?" she asked.

Pride hugged his pillow. "I don't want to talk about it," he said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Riza respected his wishes.

* * *

"I was so close, Roy," Riza said later that evening. "I could feel it. I had almost worn him down." 

Roy shrugged. "Well, maybe next time," he said in a tone that wasn't terribly convincing.

Riza nodded and left the kitchen. She poked her head into the study. Winry had several gun parts spread all over the coffee table, and she was in the middle of beating one with a screwdriver. "Dinner will be ready in five minutes," Riza told her.

"Great," Winry said. "I'm starved." She was quiet for a moment, and Riza was just about to leave when she spoke again. "Is that Pride guy going to eat with us?"

"It depends," Riza replied. "Sometimes he does, sometimes he eats in his room."

Winry twisted around to face Riza. "Who is he, anyway?"

"Winry, you know how I am," Riza reminded her.

Winry sighed. "Yeah, I know. But Pride is such a weird name. And his hair, my gosh! It was dark _green_, Riza. I mean, he's like some kind of rebel."

"Maybe," Riza said, not budging an inch to Winry's subtle questioning.

* * *

Pride kept his face to the wall long after Riza had left. What was _wrong_ with him? All someone had to do was ask him questions and he started blabbing about things he had no business discussing with someone on the outside! He might as well have told her the inner workings of the family. Why couldn't he keep quiet! 

_It's almost like I feel compelled to answer her questions, _Pride thought. He resented her for being able to pull so much out of him. He was barely able to stop himself from telling her how he joined the family. Thankfully, she wouldn't press if he said he didn't want to talk about it. If she did, he might have told her everything on Day 1. How could he keep forgetting to say that? It would save him a lot of grief.

Now she would be curious, he knew. He had given her a small glimpse of the inside, and she would want to see the rest. He would have to dodge more questions now. But how? Something about her just got him talking. It wasn't fair! What kind of voodoo was she using to prevent him from sealing his mouth shut?

Pride heaved a shaky sigh and pulled the pillow over his head. To think he had almost told her about that day. He was just asking for it.

As if on cue, memories of that very day began to resurface in his mind. That day his life changed so drastically, for the second time.

* * *

It was raining, which was appropriate. His spirits were down, very down. He huddled underneath the bridge, trying to wait out the rain, wishing it wasn't so cold, wondering if there was anyone alive who cared about him. His existence was pathetic.

But he deserved it. He deserved it because he was a horrible person. A horrible boy, a horrible son, a horrible brother. He deserved all the pain and suffering he was going through. It was his punishment for killing his own family.

There wasn't much difference between watching your family die and killing them yourself. He had decided that a long time ago. That was why he deserved to suffer alone.

Slowly, the rain slacked up to a barely noticeable drizzle. He uncurled himself from his ball, his muscles stiff at being cooped up so long. Slowly he reached out a hand from under the bridge, checking for rain. When he decided that it was light enough, he crawled out and got up.

Almost immediately his stomach complained. He tried to ignore it and brushed dirt off the seat of his pants. The ominous rumble of thunder startled him, and he jumped back under the bridge. The sky lit up for a split second, and he covered his ears, anticipating the noise. "One, one thousand, two, one thousand, three--"

A loud BOOM cracked through the area. He jumped and couldn't help a little whimper. His heart was racing from fright, and he worked to stay calm.

He hated thunder. He hated it.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

His head jerked up at the new voice, and he found himself staring into a pair of violet eyes which had a color distinguishable even in the gray darkness. It was a person, someone who looked about twice his size, with a lot of exposed flesh and dark stringy hair. Whoever they were, they had on some weird fingerless gloves that went almost all the way up to their shoulders, a skintight halter top, what looked like a miniskirt, knee-high socks, and shin-high combat boots, all black.

"It's raining," the person went on, white teeth visible in a crooked grin. "Shouldn't you be at home?"

He took a deep breath, still trying to calm his fluttering heart. "I don't have a home," he said in a small voice.

"No?" The person didn't sound surprised. "Where's the family then, hmm?"

He blinked, feeling the familiar sting of tears, and looked away. "I don't have a family," he said quietly.

"Is that so? Then that makes you a homeless orphan, doesn't it?"

"I-I guess."

He heard movement and turned to see that the person had crouched next to him, now eye-level. "So what's your name then, huh kid?"

"...Edward."

"Elric?"

He nodded. "How...how did you know?"

The person stuck out a hand. "Congratulations. I'm your older brother."

* * *

A knock at the door interrupted Pride's reverie, and he sat up as Roy came in. 

"Dinner's ready," Roy announced. "You want to join us?"

Pride blinked slowly, like he was just coming out of a coma. "Um...I guess so, yes," he said, pulling back the covers.

* * *

Dinner was a strange affair. Pride and Winry shot each other dirty looks across the table, but the threat of Riza's gun was too imminent for them to do more than that. Oddly enough, it was Roy who talked the most, keeping up an almost steady stream of chatter. Riza would sometimes jump in, and Winry occasionally. Pride said about three things and that was it. 

When dinner was finished, Winry and Pride left immediately, Winry to get back to her project, and Pride to go to his room. Riza helped Roy clear the table, and then started washing the dishes.

"So..." Roy said, preparing to make a cup of coffee.

Riza looked up at him. "So what?"

"He say anything interesting?"

Riza pulled a wayward strand of hair from her eyes and sighed. "Yes, he did, but it's like I'm forcibly pulling every word from him. He simply doesn't want to open up."

"Does that really surprise you?" Roy asked.

"I guess not. It must go against everything he's been taught since joining that gang. But Roy, I just want to reach him so badly. I want to find the boy behind that horrible title of his."

"And I'm sure if you keep trying you will," Roy assured her.

Riza beamed at him. "Thank you, Roy."

"At least, if nothing else, you can threaten him with the gun..."

"Roy," Riza sighed.

* * *

Winry sensed she was being watched, and had been for quite a while. Curious as to who had been staring at her, she 'accidentally' flipped a screw off the table. When she bent down to retrieve it, her ponytail slipped over her shoulder, shielding her face long enough for a quick peek. 

It was that Pride guy.

Winry straightened up and continued with her work, pretending she had never noticed him. She wondered why he was watching her. As a matter of fact, she wondered a lot about him. Where was he from? Who was he? Why was he here? And when was he leaving? Above all, why was his hair dyed _dark green_?

"You're really good with that."

Winry jumped, not having expected to be spoken to. She had been so deep in thought that she had almost forgotten he was there. Whirling to face him, Winry hoped he thought she had jumped because she hadn't known he was there. "Oh! It's you," she said.

Pride was leaning against the doorway into the study, his hair mostly pushed behind his ears. It looked like he was wearing some of Roy's clothes. "You're a mechanic?" he asked.

Winry shrugged. "Yeah. I'm attracted to all things mechanical."

Pride was examining her latest project with his big golden eyes. Winry thought it was a shame for such nice eyes to be wasted on someone who was most likely a delinquent.

"So who are you?" Winry asked, figuring it was better to cut to the chase.

Pride's eyes flicked back up to her. "You already know my title," he said.

"Yeah, but that's not your born name, is it?"

"No. A person would be an idiot to name their kid after a deadly sin."

"Well, then, why? Is there something wrong with your real name?"

Pride's jaw turned slightly, as if he were gritting his teeth, and heaved a sigh through his nose. "Let's not talk about this, all right?" The way he said it, it was more of an order than a question.

Winry's brows raised. "Fine, _Pride_," she said, stressing his name, "I recognize a touchy subject when I hear one."

Pride turned on his heel to leave, muttering, "Why did I come down here in the first place?"

Winry realized it might not sit well with Riza if her new houseguest was all upset, so she jumped up. "Wait, hold on. Okay, I'm _sorry_. You don't have to get all mad."

He glanced back at her.

"Look, I was just teasing. I'm only kind of curious about where you came from. You can't fault me for that, right?" Winry said.

"...No, I guess not. But I'd appreciate it if you kept your questions to yourself."

With that, Pride left. Winry watched him go, eyes narrowed. What a jerk.

* * *

(1)The "short for Puraidope" comment: It's a very bad joke that combines the way to pronounce Pride in Japanese (Puraido) with the word "dope". Don't pay too much attention to it--I make bad jokes on a regular basis. 

Anyway, please review. I'll bribe you with sweets. (waves bowl of sweets tantalizingly)


	4. The Blond Kid Smiles

Please, if you can avoid it...don't kill me. I apologize for the wait. My lappy got bugs and spyware, and I ended up losing almost all my files. I had to re-write this chapter from scratch. But I'm back now, so we can get back on track, eh?

Anyways, thanks to all my reviewers. I appreciate each and every review, believe me. Oh, and to answer a couple of questions/comments...

Guardian Angel of Wolves: Well, I can't say what happened to the Ho-ster, but you'll learn later.I made Pride sick because it makes him so much more pliable! Besides, it's fun to watch people take care of him.  
**Houran**: EdWin? Hmmm...I hadn't really thought about it. But maybe, if Winry can stop assuming Pride's a delinquent. And some of Pride's "family" will be showing up soon! But what about his real family, I wonder?  
**Viloia**: No, I will not abandon this story, unless I get hit by a car or something. It shall be completed!  
**Acedia: **I know what you mean! Riza plus gun equals scary, very scary. At least she has a soft side. 

And now here's the chapter.

* * *

4; The Blond Kid Smiles

"Daddy, I'm sorry. I could've done something, I should've...I...I'm sorry..."

Pride's eyes flew open, and he shot up in bed, heart pounding. He looked around, but all he saw was the surrounding guest room.

A dream. It was just a dream. Just a stupid dream. Pride sank back, his heart's pace slowly returning to normal. He reached up to scratch a tickling itch on his face and realized he was crying. 

Hastily Pride rubbed the tears off, wiping his nose on the bedcovers. What was the matter with him? He needed to get a grip. Staying here was making him come undone, he realized, sitting back up. Riza and her questions. Winry and her questions. Roy and his suspicious absence of questions. If he broke down in this house who knew what would happen?

He scanned the room, looking for his things. His shoes were lined up neatly beside the door. His pants were folded on top of the dresser. He hoped his top was inside the dresser somewhere, along with his gloves.

Silently, Pride slipped out of bed. His bare feet made no noise on the carpet as he crossed over to the dresser. He picked up his pants and started opening drawers. In the third one he found his gloves and top, as hoped.

He got dressed in the dark and grabbed his shoes, putting them on as he crossed to the window. He unlocked and raised it. No screen.

Pride took a deep breath, then put a leg outside the window. He hesitated, glancing back at the guest room. He knew he needed to get out of here before these people learned every little thing about him. But a part of him did want to stay and try and make a normal life. To finally leave the others behind and start over--

He shook his head to push away the ridiculous thoughts. Who was he kidding? It was like Greed had said. He could never leave. He was marked for life. Besides, he did not want this innocent couple to be killed because of his selfish wants. This was good for all parties involved, Pride convinced himself.

So he threw his other leg out the window.

* * *

****

Saturday, April 15th

Even though she had mastered the art of not showing her emotions on her face, Roy had been around Riza long enough to know when she was upset. And she was _really _upset now.

"Do you think he went back to his life of crime?" Winry asked Roy.

Roy glanced at her briefly before turning his eyes back to the road. "Winry, you know what Riza would say if she heard you talking like that," he said sternly.

"Well, it's true, isn't it?" Winry countered.

"Just keep an eye out for him."

Roy's cell phone rang, and he flipped it open with one hand, lifting it to his ear. "No, we haven't found him," he said.

"_Keep looking. He's out here somewhere,_" Riza said in a steely tone. She quickly disconnected, as if every moment spent on the phone was another crucial moment she might miss seeing him.

"So how long are we going to drive aimlessly around town?" Winry asked.

"Until Riza gives us permission to go back home."

"You're whipped," Winry teased.

Roy shot her a look. "This is very serious to Riza, Winry. Let's save the jokes for later."

"Sorry." Winry crossed her arms and settled back into her seat, keeping a vague lookout for a dark green head. After a moment, she glanced at Roy and said, "Isn't it serious to you, too?"

"Of course. He's a human being. I don't want him dead."

"But you sound like you don't like him or something," Winry pressed.

Roy sighed. "I haven't decided to smother him with affection, if that's what you're driving at," he said.

"It seems like this Pride jerk's causing you guys a lot of trouble," Winry went on. "So he ran back to whatever rat hole he operates out of. Let him go. It's good because now he won't have stolen anything before he left."

With a shake of his head, Roy glanced at her again. "You _really _don't like him, huh?"

"I dislike most shadowy, delinquent figures," Winry shot back. "He's inconveniencing you guys, and he could be a serial killer."

"Maybe so, but Riza's attached to him now, and she won't let him go without a gunfight," Roy pointed out.

Roy's cellphone rang again. He put it to his ear. "Still nothing, Riza," he told her.

"_Let's go home,_" Riza said.

* * *

She paced, back and forth. Every once in a while she'd stop, raise a finger to her mouth and check her cellphone, and then start again. She would wear a hole in the floor by dinnertime.

"Riza, try not to be upset," Roy practically begged. "I'm sure he's fine."

"If he went back to that gang, no he's not," Riza replied without even looking up at her husband. "They'll hurt him. They'll probably kill him for running away."

Roy sighed. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it now, so maybe it's best to just forget about it."

Never in Roy's womanizing life had he nearly been killed by a glare as piercing as the one Riza gave him at that moment. Roy raised his hands in surrender and wisely backed away. "I'm only saying," he said slowly. "You look upset."

"Because I _am_," Riza said dangerously. "I was trying to help Pride, and now I'm angry with him _and _you."

"I'm sorry," Roy said sincerely. "I just hate to see you like this."

Riza sighed heavily. "I know. I'm just..." She bit her lip and looked away. "I just wish he hadn't run away. I could've done so much for him."

Roy came over and put an arm around her shoulders. "You did the best you could," he reminded her gently. "It's his fault for not accepting the help, but don't blame yourself, Riza."

"It's hard not to," Riza pointed out.

"Try. Now why don't we eat dinner, and tomorrow we can start searching again, all right?"

Riza nodded slowly, then looked up at her husband and nodded again. "All right."

* * *

****

Monday, April 17th

The sun would be setting soon. Riza saw her last customer off and then started closing up shop. Winry had left that morning, being picked up by Alex Armstrong. In her wake she had left her completed project: an old rifle from the late 1800s, now proudly displayed in the antique section of the store. It nicely rounded out the collection of old guns.

Riza flipped off all the lights, then turned the sign so that _Closed _was displayed outside. She backed out the front door, holding the key in the lock until it had closed, and then locked the storefront. She turned--and started.

Pride stood a few feet away, wearing a sweatshirt over his traditional outfit. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair looked messy again. Riza stared at him for a moment, shocked, then schooled her features into her scary office mode and approached.

"Where have you been?" she asked calmly. "Why did you leave, Pride?"

Pride said nothing, but instead looked down at the ground. Riza stood in front of him. "Well? Why did you disappear for three days?" When he said nothing, she went on. "Did you go back to your gang?"

"'Snot a gang," he mumbled, sounding tired.

Riza felt herself softening at his weary voice, but she pushed it down. "I told you I wouldn't let you leave," she said. "You successfully made a fool out of me, so why come back?"

"...I got scared."

This was a surprise. Riza looked down at his bowed head. "Scared of what?"

"Of what they'd do."

"Then why did you leave in the first place?"

Pride didn't answer for a moment. Riza waited.

"Because I was scared."

"Of what?"

"Of being the cause of your death."

"I told you we could handle ourselves," Riza said.

Pride slowly shook his head. "I'm...sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"For putting you in danger. But...I'm scared to go back."

"Then don't," Riza said in a softer tone, reaching out to Pride. He stiffened when her arm floated around his shoulders, but he didn't pull away. "Stay with us, and stop worrying. We will be fine."

Pride looked up, and Riza noted the redness in his eyes. Had he been crying? "I'm not supposed to say so much to you. I...I was supposed to keep my mouth shut. You shouldn't know anything about me." It was like he was arguing with himself, instead of speaking to her.

"But I do," Riza said, seeing a chance. "And I don't think you told me unwillingly. Something in you must want to have someone to confide in. And I'll be that person, Pride. I will always be there for you if you need me."

"You say that like it's true," Pride said, his voice surprisingly unsteady.

Riza smiled softly at him. "It is. Where would I go? I would die to defend you. All I ask is that you accept my help."

"I c...I don't know," Pride said, looking back down at the ground.

"Well, while you don't know, come back to the house," Riza said. "You look exhausted."

"I am."

* * *

When Roy saw Pride, he didn't express his surprise. He simply looked at his wife, who had an arm around Pride's shoulders, and shrugged. "Welcome back, kid," he said.

Pride looked at him almost questioningly for a moment before looking back down.

"Why don't you head upstairs to your room?" Riza suggested, giving him a gentle push towards the stairs. Pride headed for the stairs and climbed them slowly.

Roy waited until he heard the sound of Pride's door closing to turn to Riza. "You didn't kill him on sight?" he said. "I'm surprised."

"No," Riza replied, shaking her head. "I was just too relieved he actually came back."

"Now _that_ shocks me," Roy said. "Did he tell you why?"

"Yes. He's afraid of what his gang would do to him. He also apologized for putting us in danger." Riza was silent for a moment, then said, "I think he realized there was an element of safety here, and that's why he came back."

Roy furrowed a brow in thought. "But all he could talk about was leaving," he pointed out. "Then, when he finally does get away, he just ends up coming back three days later?"

"He's changed his mind," Riza said firmly. "And now, I think I'll finally be able to reach him."

Roy shrugged. "All right. As long as he doesn't run away _again _and get you all worked up."

"Shut up, Roy," Riza said primly, heading to the kitchen.

Roy smirked and followed.

* * *

****

Monday, April 24th

One week later, Pride was still there. His injuries from the fight were completely healed, leaving only faint scars in a few areas, and even the infection had passed. Pride was still very prickly about his past and his gang, but he did warm up a little to Riza. He often helped her with dinner, which surprised Riza. He was an excellent cook.

On Friday, Pride surprised Riza yet again by asking her if he could help her out in her shop a little. When she reminded him it was a gun shop, full of guns, and gun paraphernalia, Pride just nodded and said, "I know." He took to becoming the unofficial janitor--sweeping, mopping, dusting, wiping, cleaning, and organizing. His efforts helped Riza immensely, and she was able to get a lot more done each day.

He didn't warm up as much to Roy, however, simply because he didn't see him very much. Roy had to go to work, so most of Pride's time was either spent with Riza or a book in the study. When they weren't at Riza's Armory, Riza and Pride would sit in silence in the study, reading and working on guns, respectively.

On this particular day, Riza and Pride were giving the shop a final clean up before closing for the day. Riza hauled her bucket of dirty water over to the sink and dumped it. She rinsed the remaining dirt out of the bucket and washed her hands. "Almost ready?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

Pride nodded from where he was scrubbing a few stains off the floor, made by some inconsiderate boob spilling their drink. He kept having to stop and push his hair out of his face, and he looked a little frustrated.

Riza, considering, walked over. "Do you need something to hold your hair back?" she asked, digging in her jeans pocket and producing an elastic ponytail holder.

"Nah, I'm good." Pride continued scrubbing, still stopping and swiping every few seconds.

"Actually, I think you do," Riza commented, kneeling behind him. "Hold still for a second." She reached out and took his hair in her hand. Pride's entire body immediately went stiff, but he didn't say anything to her.

Riza absently combed her fingers through Pride's hair. When he actually did something to it, besides smoothing down flyaways, it felt nice. She wished her hair felt as nice as this, and resolved to get Pride to start taking better care of his hair. Honestly, he needed more in his hair care collection than a comb with half the teeth broken out and a brush about as effective as a hot dog.

"I was thinking," Riza said as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Perhaps you'd like to go clothes shopping sometime this week? I know you might not enjoy wearing Roy's old clothes."

"They're fine," Pride said stiffly. Both he and Riza glanced down at the oversized button-up shirt and jeans he wore. The shirt was tucked in to avoid getting in his way, and the sleeves and hems of the pants were rolled up.

Riza started to pull Pride's hair into a loose ponytail, but she paused for a moment, considering the dark green hair in her hand. She pulled the elastic out and separated the hair into three chunks. "Pride, can I ask you a question about your hair?"

"My...hair?" Pride repeated.

Riza nodded as she started to weave the strands together.

"Um, I guess."

"What color is it really?"

Pride glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and he was frowning.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want," Riza said, wrapping the elastic around the end of the braid she had just done. "I was just curious." She had noticed he had even dyed his brows, so the color was a mystery. To add to it, he hadn't had any roots grow in yet. She wondered if his hair was darker, like Roy's, or maybe in the blond family like her. Maybe it was fiery red. She smiled at the thought of subdued Pride with fiery red hair.

"Am I done?"

"Oh. Yes you are." Riza patted his back slightly, and Pride's hand reached back to touch his hair. His brow furrowed when he felt the braid, and he turned to Riza.

She blinked, then smiled. "You should wear your hair like that more often."

"Eh?" Pride tilted his head slightly, and his bangs, which Riza had barely been able to pull back, immediately slipped from the braid and fell down around his face.

"That's even better," Riza said. "It makes you look cute, Pride."

Pride's cheeks flushed, and he looked away. "Um...thanks," he mumbled.

Riza got to her feet, subconsciously brushing her knees off. "I'll go ahead and check the back. Let me know when you're done, okay?" She turned around and started for the door leading to the storeroom.

"...Blond."

"Pardon?" Riza turned around.

Pride was holding his scrubbing brush in two hands, and staring down at it. His face was red again. "My...hair, I mean. It's blond. More, uh, goldeny than yours, though."

Riza blinked in surprise, then she smiled warmly. "Thank you for sharing that with me, Pride," she said sincerely.

Pride looked up at her for a moment, but he lost his nerve and looked back down. "You're welcome," he mumbled, attacking the stain on the floor with renewed vigor.

* * *

****

Wednesday, April 26th

As promised, Riza closed her shop early and took Pride out to go clothes shopping, despite his protests. She left a note for Roy in case he came back before they did.

"Seriously, you don't have to do this," Pride said, tugging anxiously on the red shirt of Roy's he wore. "I can just wear Mr. Roy's clothes. It's no big deal."

"It is to me," Riza replied, leading him by the wrist to the mall. Pride tried to shrink into nothing as they merged into crowds of people. Even on a Wednesday afternoon, the mall was still crowded with everyone and their freaking cousin. Pride unconsciously pulled his hat lower, trying to hide his whole face.

"Don't worry, we won't be here long. Just three stores, okay?" Riza said.

Pride was too busy trying to be inconspicuous to reply.

The first store they went to was full of what Pride would call preppy socialite clothes. The only thing he would let Riza buy him from there were khaki pants, since everything else fell under the "sweater vest" and "high waters" category. Riza had to have Pride try on several different sizes of clothes before she finally figured out what size he wore. He couldn't tell her himself because he didn't know. He never bought clothes.

The next store they went to was a little better. It had clothes for more different kinds of people. Riza found several things there that Pride felt all right being caught dead in, as well as a few pairs of shoes. Riza also found an accessories section and forced a brush, comb, and a plastic container of elastics on him. She even bought him shampoo and conditioner. Pride had never felt more like a girl in his life.

Finally, their last stop was a store Pride was surprised Riza would actually go into, and he mentioned this aloud.

"Of course I would," Riza replied as they walked through the beaded doorway of Goth Spark. "You might find something you like here."

Pride didn't doubt it. They carried clothes that matched his regular outfit: leather, dark stuff, dark stuff made of leather, plus accessories you thought you'd only see in a motorcycle gang. Pride found plenty of things in here he'd like to wear, and he was able to get whatever he wanted, as long as he followed Riza's two rules. 1: No midriff-showing tops. 2: No pants with the butt cut out. Barring that, everything was up for grabs.

"You want anything else?" Riza asked once both of them had clothes draped over their arms.

Pride scanned the area briefly. He doubted it. This was enough to last him the rest of his life, probably. He didn't need to get into buying a lot of stuff anyway--

A flash of red caught Pride's attention, and he walked over to the display rack. A red coat was mashed in-between all the others. Riza had come with him, and she took the clothes he handed her so he could push the other clothes back and pull out the coat.

It had a very long hem, just a little past Pride's knees, and was solid red with a hood. Sewn on the back was a cross with snake wrapped around it, and a crown and wings floated over both. The whole design was in black.

Pride fell in love with it. He turned to Riza, coat in hand. "Can we get this too?" he pleaded.

"Let me see the back," Riza commanded. Pride turned it around. Riza examined the design and then looked it up and down. "All right. Add it to the pile."

Pride nodded, and out of nowhere a smile crept over his face. "Thank you, Miss Riza," he said.

Riza blinked in surprise, and then smiled herself. "You're welcome. Come on, let's go to checkout."

Pride nodded, taking all the clothes from Riza's left arm.

* * *

Bear with my tardyness, and please review. 


	5. Big Brother

Guess what happened to me, everyone? This lovely story was added to a C2 community called "Bluebirds Illusions". So, I'm very happy. I'd suggest you check it out, so you can see me in all my glory (just kidding) and see some other stories with Ed-turned-Pride themes, yes?  
Anyway, big thankies to **Guardian Angel of Wolves, YourFavoritePlushie, Houran, Moonlite Knight, Bar-Ohki, kitsune-kitty, **and **Katty **for reviewing. Now to answer questions/comments/death threats:

Guardian Angel of Wolves: Ah, you'll see...THIS chapter!  
**Houran: **You'll find out, and you'll see here! Pride's past will slowly come to life, and hopefully Pride will stop feeling like a girl, hmm? (Hey, my family gives me weird looks too! Even when I'm not laughing!) 

All right, all, here's the next chapter. A certain Sin will arrive...do you know who?

* * *

5: Big Brother

Thursday, April 27th

"I swear, if that man says one more thing to me, I cannot be responsible for my actions," were the first words out of Roy's mouth when he walked through the door Thursday evening.

"Good evening to you too, Roy. Yes, I'm well, thank you so much for asking," Riza said as she took his coat.

"Sorry," Roy said, kissing her cheek. "How was your day?"

Riza gave him a look like she was still displeased with him, but it soon broke into a smile. "It went well. I convinced Pride to go to the park with me for the day."

"And did you push him on the swing and hold his legs while he crossed the monkey bars?" Roy quipped.

"Very funny. We just went for a walk," Riza said. Her smile became mischievous. "And--I found out something interesting about him."

Roy gave her a "go on" look as he crashed on the couch. Riza pushed his legs off one cushion and sat down. "He hates to be called short."

"Oh, is that _so_?" Roy said, an evil smirk crossing his features.

"Roy, don't tease him," Riza cautioned. "Anyway, it was actually a good thing, because I finally saw a part of his true personality."

"And?" Roy prompted.

"He's kind of like you when you go a few days without coffee."

Roy shuddered. He didn't need to be reminded. "Where is he anyhow?"

"In the kitchen making dinner. He seems to like that," Riza said.

"I know I do," Roy commented. "He makes a mean--"

"I would advise you not to finish that sentence, as I am the usual cook and your general basis for comparison," Riza said acidly.

Roy wisely left the topic alone.

"Um..." Pride poked his head into the living room. "Dinner's ready?"

* * *

The car. Something was wrong with the car. They had to get out of the car!

"Mom!" he yelled, running as fast as his little legs would take him. "MOM! MOM, WAIT!"

She turned, smiling, already pulling the door shut.

"MOM, WAIT, DON'T CLOSE THE--"

The door pulled shut with a click. A split second later, a fiery explosion rocked the area, and he was thrown backwards. An earth-shattering BOOM accompanied the explosion, and a huge fireball roiled upwards from where the car had sat.

He landed hard, sending a stabbing pain through his head. His face stung like it had been burned. Slowly, painfully, he rose to his feet, and stared in shocked horror at the car, now completely engulfed in flames. For a moment, he couldn't move, but when he finally did, he started running for the car again.

"MOM!" he screamed. "MOM! AL! MOM!"

He was grabbed from behind. He whirled. "LET ME GO! I HAVE TO GET TO MOM AND AL!"

It was his father. "No!" his father commanded. "It's too dangerous. Besides..." his face crumpled. "There's no way they could have survived." He finished in a voice barely above a whisper.

"But...but..." He felt a tickling sensation on his cheeks, and it took a moment to register that he was crying. "But they...but I..."

"I'm sorry," his father said.

He pulled away. "YOU KNEW!" he screamed, ignoring the people who were running to help. "YOU KNEW, YOU BASTARD! YOU KNEW!"

His father grabbed him by the shoulders, and he tried to fight. "YOU KILLED THEM! YOU KILLED THEM! WE..."

He broke down into tears, burying his face in his hands. His father hadn't been the only one to know. HE had known too. He was just as guilty. This was his fault. If he had acted sooner, or run faster, or SOMEthing...

His father pulled him into a hug. "I'm so sorry," the man whispered, voice choked with tears.

Pride inhaled so sharply that he coughed. He sat up quickly, allowing himself to breathe, and wrapped his arms around his shivering body. It was still dark. He had had a nightmare.

Slowly, Pride managed to get his heart to slow down from its rapid pace. His shivering stopped, and he rubbed his arms once or twice before dropping his hands.

Over the years, the memory of that fateful day had plagued Pride. He hadn't been able to get away from them. He always blamed himself for what happened. Sure, _he _hadn't rigged the car to explode, but he had found out about it. And if he had acted sooner, instead of leaving it up to his father, maybe his mother and brother would be alive today.

And maybe he wouldn't have run away from home. Maybe they'd all be a happy family today, instead of two being dead, one being a gang member, and one being who-knew-where.

Pride rested his elbows on his thighs and dropped his face into his hands. He knew he probably wouldn't go back to sleep tonight.

* * *

****

Friday, April 28th

"Pride, you look tired," Riza commented as they prepared to open the shop. It was almost nine o'clock.

"I am," Pride sighed from where he halfheartedly alphabetized gun manuals. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Bad dream?" Riza asked.

Pride stiffened, then slowly nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Pride vigorously shook his head, making his braid flop on his back.

"All right. If you change your mind, I'm right here."

Pride appreciated that, and maybe one day he might actually take her up on her offer. But he had spent too many years not telling people things to just start telling someone about them now. Especially someone he had known less than a month.

The sound of a heavy engine from the back alerted Riza, and she stood. "That must be Alex. I'm going to get his things. Why don't you finish up here?" she suggested.

"Okay," Pride said. Riza handed him the key to the door and then walked through the back door. Pride finished alphabetizing the book rack and, covering a yawn, walked to the front door and unlocked it. He flipped the sign around to display _Open_ out on the sidewalk and pushed a magazine rack out of the way of the door a little with his foot. He twirled the key around his finger by its ring as he walked back behind the counter, giving the store a once-over to make sure it looked okay. Satisfied that it was, Pride turned to go to the back door, and the key ring accidentally flew off his finger and onto the floor. He ducked below the counter to grab it and had to hop awkwardly a few steps to reach it.

While he was hopping across the floor like a demented frog, the chime of the bell over the door signaled someone coming in. Pride was still hopping as the person approached the counter, and when he finally grabbed the keys, he sighed with relief and stood. "Hi, how can I--"

The words stuck in his throat, and a chill ran down his spine.

"Found you, pipsqueak."

* * *

"SO HOW IS THE HUSBAND AND HOUSEGUEST?" Alex Armstrong boomed cheerfully.

"Not so loud, please," Riza said, taking a box from him and stowing it on the top shelf. "We might have customers."

"Forgive me, Mrs. Mustang," Alex said, bowing deeply.

Riza smiled and rolled her eyes. "We're fine," she said. "And yourself?"

"LOVELY! Pardon me. Olivier came to visit the other day, and she and Winry hit it off very well," Alex reported. "The Blonde Estates sends its regards." "The Blonde Estates" was the nickname for The Grand Estates, where Riza and Roy used to live. It was called that because most of its occupants were strangely blond. And it sounded similar to the original name, which made it even more fitting.

"Tell them we said hello," Riza said, dusting off her hands as Alex single-handedly lifted three boxes onto the second shelf. "is that everything?"

Alex nodded. "I SHALL RETURN...pardon, I shall return come next Thursday! Will that be well and good?"

"Very well and good," Riza said. "Take care of yourself."

"YOU DO THE SAME!" Alex boomed, unable to contain his volume for his parting farewell. He got back in his truck and drove away. Riza waved until he was out of sight, then closed the door leading outside.

A noise from the front of the store caught Riza's attention, and then a harsh, raised voice filtered through the door. "_This isn't a request, Pride! It's an order! Now do it!_"

Riza had known this moment might come. She pulled her gun from her hip holster and cocked it, heading for the door leading to the storefront.

* * *

"How did you find me?" Pride asked darkly.

Envy leaned on the counter, long green hair trailing over the glass. "Lots of hard work and dedication," he grinned. "You look well, considering Greed said he kicked your ass."

"You let him say that about me?" Pride exclaimed.

"Yeah. Of course, that was only because I wasn't close enough to shut him up immediately." Envy lifted his hair and turned to the side a bit, showcasing the bruise under his ear. "Battle scar," he said.

Pride let out a breath. "Great. So what do you want?"

"What else, stupid? To take you back." Envy appraised Pride's outfit, a sleeveless blue shirt and jeans. "Where's your outfit? We need to go now."

Pride took a deep breath, then looked squarely in Envy's violet eyes. "I'm not going," he said.

The usual teasing smirk fell off of Envy's face. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I'm not going back," Pride said boldly. "I'm staying right here."

Envy's eyes narrowed, then he grinned. "Very funny, Pride Jr. Now come on. I don't have all day."

"Then leave," Pride replied.

"Not without you, dummy," Envy said, straightening up.

"That's the only way you're leaving," Pride replied, crossing his arms and staring defiantly at Envy.

Envy glared. "Look, don't give me this. I can't come back without you in tow, so stop asserting your independence and come _on_."

"No!" Pride snapped. "I like it here."

"You like it _here_?" Envy looked like someone had just told him there was physical proof Santa Claus existed. "Are you out of your mind? What'd they do, pump you full of happy drugs?"

Pride just stared up at him.

"Look," Envy snapped, "I'm done playing games. Now come on, or I'll drag you."

"Then drag me!" Pride shot back. "I said I'm not going back, and I'm not!"

"This isn't a request, Pride! It's an order! Now do it!" Envy yelled, banging his fist on the glass.

"No!"

"Stop acting like a little kid!"

"I'll act however I damn well feel like it!"

"Pride," Envy said dangerously, "so help me, if you don't get your ass from behind that counter, I'm going to--"

"You're going to what?"

Both boys whirled to see Riza, her gun trained on Envy, who blinked in surprise.

"Well? 'You're going to' what?" Riza asked with a steely calm.

Envy, like Pride, knew the right time to fake being mute.

"Pride is staying here," Riza said, stepping forward so she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Pride (not in the literal sense, of course). "If you have a problem with that, you have a problem with me."

"Who the hell are you?" Envy asked, seeming to forget for a moment he was at gunpoint.

"The one who shot your companion Greed," Riza replied. Envy's brows raised, but he didn't respond. "I'm sensing a theme here," Riza went on, "so I'm going to take a guess at your title. Wrath? Gluttony?"

"Envy," Pride told her, and Envy shot him a dirty look.

"Envy," Riza repeated. "Listen to me. You'll walk out that door or suffer the same fate as Greed."

Envy glared daggers at Pride. "Just how much did you tell NRA(1) about us?"

Pride's face turned red. "Not that much," he mumbled.

"Have I made myself clear?" Riza butted in, drawing Envy's attention back to her.

"I'd love to," Envy sneered, "but I can't. I have to come back with Pride or else."

"Or else what? They'll try to kill you too?" Riza asked.

Envy raised his brows again, but this time it was more of a mocking gesture. "Nosy, aren't we?" he grinned.

"Look, Envy, I'm not going to come with you, so can you just go, please?" Pride said.

"Didn't I just say I _can't_?" Envy said. "Me and Greed are both out looking for you, and neither one of us is allowed to return without you."

"_Greed's _looking for me?" Pride repeated, looking pale.

"Yes. And that's why I tore up half the damn city looking for you. So you _didn't_ return as a corpse," Envy replied.

Pride swallowed hard, then steeled himself. "Well, I'm staying right here."

"Why are you making this so difficult for me?" Envy practically yelled. "Didn't you hear me the first time? I can't come back without you! You're going to turn me into a hobo, pipsqueak?"

"You don't have to be a hobo," Riza butted in again. "Stay with us."

Both Envy and Pride stared at her like she had just declared she was really a man. "...You're either joking or high," Envy said.

"What I am is serious," Riza said. "There's no reason you can't stay, especially if you also have nowhere else to go."

"And have you shoot me in the back? I don't think so," Envy scoffed.

"Envy, maybe you should think about it," Pride said. "I mean, it's better than the streets, right?"

Envy stared at him. "Don't tell me. You're both smoking the same stuff?"

"I mean it!" Pride insisted. "I'm staying here, so you can too, right? It'll be good for both of us. We can think about turning our lives in a different direction."

"You were the only one who wanted to do that," Envy pointed out, frowning.

"Well, you got any better ideas?" Pride shot back.

Envy glared at them both for a few moments. Finally, he turned on his heel and stalked out, the hem of his dark brown trenchcoat lifting in the wind he created. He walked through the front door.

Riza sighed and dropped her gun. "So who was he?"

"Envy, like I said." Pride glanced up at Riza and then looked away. "The, um...older brother I mentioned."

Riza started in surprise. "_That_ was your older brother? He was so harsh with you."

"He was just angry. And now I know why." Pride irritably ran his fingers through his bangs and turned away, crossing his arms.

"So, do you think he'll come back again to try and force you back to the gang?" Riza asked, sounding like she wanted to leave right then and go hunt Envy down like a deer or something.

"It's not a gang," Pride automatically replied. "And...I don't know. Envy doesn't get mad all that easily." His forehead crinkled in worry. "I had no idea Greed was after me too. And...now Envy doesn't have anywhere to go..."

Riza watched the warring emotions on Pride's face. She reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be all right," she said softly.

Pride started, as if he had forgotten she was in the room, and stared at her. "What is it?" Riza asked, seeing a sort of haunted look in his eyes.

Before she knew it, Pride shook his head, and the look was gone. "Nothing," he said. "You just...well, it's not important." He turned towards the door as the bell chimed. "Customer."

* * *

****

Tuesday, May 2nd

"Dinner," Roy grumbled.

"What about it?" Riza asked after taking a sip from her glass.

"He wants to come to dinner," Roy grumbled.

Riza and Pride exchanged glances. "Who?" Riza asked.

"My boss. He thinks it will build our relationship. Like I'm his _wife_ or something," Roy grumbled.

"You hate him that much?" Pride asked, tearing a chunk off of his biscuit.

Roy sighed and propped his elbows up on either side of his plate. "It's not that I hate him, I just can't stand him. How such an absentminded fool has a higher rank than me is beyond my comprehension."

"Isn't that kind of talk insubordination or something?" Pride wondered aloud.

"More like treason," Riza corrected.

"This is _not _funny," Roy grumbled.

"Hmm, actually it is," Riza replied. "Mr. Clair is a very nice man. I would think he'd be a good boss."

Roy snorted.

"What's he like?" Pride asked Riza.

"Very nice, actually. A gentleman, and concerned with other peoples' health. True, sometimes he does seem to forget things, but he still seems like a goodhearted man," Riza said.

"I still don't want him coming to dinner," Roy grumbled.

"Roy, don't be cross. Of course he's coming. Tell him tomorrow that he can come anytime."

Roy sighed and nodded. Pride made the sound of a whip cracking behind his hand.

The sudden sound of gunshots made them all start and look up. They didn't sound very far away. Pride realized that they sounded familiar somehow, as if he had heard that type of gun fire before. It suddenly dawned on him and he paled, pushing his chair back and standing.

"Pride?" Riza said in surprise, seeing his face.

Pride didn't answer but instead turned and ran for the door. Riza immediately stood and followed him. Roy got up and followed her. In a line they all ran for the front door. Pride burst through and raced down the driveway, turning right. He knew that gun. He _knew_ it. But he was afraid of why he would be hearing it here, so close to the house.

There was another gunshot, and Pride, unaware of Riza and Roy following him, hurried towards the sound at top speed. He was a faster runner than both of them, and they soon lost sight of him.

"Why are we chasing him?" Roy huffed as he finally caught up with his wife.

"Something's going on," Riza said in a steely tone, though she was a bit out of breath. "Pride must know what's happening. I don't want him getting hurt."

"Yes, well, what about us?" Roy said, his breath starting to get shorter.

Riza didn't answer, focused on saving her breath for running, but simply shook her head. Her golden blond hair streamed out behind her like a flag as she followed Pride, barely able to keep him in sight at points and sometimes losing him altogether. She stepped on a rock and it easily stabbed through her house sock, hurting her foot but not breaking the skin. A step behind her, Roy was breathing heavily but still keeping pace.

They had just lost Pride around a corner again and were hurrying to it when they heard Pride's panicked cry. Riza instantly focused on whipping around the corner at top speed. When she made it, she saw Pride kneeling on the ground with his back to her and stopped short, her chest heaving. Roy stopped next to her, resting his hands on his knees as he sucked in air.

Pride's body was trembling, and he seemed to be cradling someone's head in his lap. Riza could only see the person's body from the chest down, and most of their bare skin was covered in what looked like cuts and bruises, though Riza couldn't be sure in the darkness. She went to Pride's side and knelt beside him. "Pride? What is it?"

Pride looked up at her, and she saw the fear in his eyes. "It's Envy," he said hollowly, and Riza realized it was. "They...they..."

Riza looked down at Envy and realized that he was in the same position Pride had been in almost a month ago, only his injuries were worse and more plentiful. It looked like a dozen people had taken crowbars to his entire body. Riza felt herself shaking with rage. What kind of horrible gang was this that Pride belonged to?

"Roy!" Riza barked in scary office mode. Roy recognized the tone and hurried over, his lungs mostly recovered. "Give us a hand," Riza said.

* * *

(1) NRA: National Rifle Association.

So now Envy has gotten a thrashing. I'm wondering what people are thinking at this point. Please, feel free to share your theories and guesses; they make me smile and update faster.  
Reviews are completely loved!  
So is constructive criticism.  
Flames, are not.


	6. The Truth

Tada! I'm back. And so is the story. (hands out popcorn) Big fat thank yous to everyone who reviewed. Every single review makes me very happy. Now to answer some questions/comments/death threats:

Guardian Angel of Wolves: Who knows what Envy will end up doing? When he comes to, I mean. And yes, I like it too. There's too few fics about Envy looking out for Ed without wanting to have hot steamy smex with him. (shudders)  
About the dinner? You don't know le half of it, my dear. (brows wiggle)  
**YourFavoritePlushie**: Yes, Greed seems to be getting his nose in a lot, doesn't he? Unfortunately, he will be showing up again, along with certain others. Let's hope Envy's recovered by then.  
**Houran: **I dunno. I suppose I'm just wicked awesome like that. (kidding, kidding)  
Anyway...how could I not? There's probably no other way to drag that darn Envy under the Mustang roof. And at least Envy didn't hurt Pride. Now you know stuff about Pride's past...at least you think you do...I still have some twists up my sleeve!  
**Phantom of the Pie: **Um...you don't have to eat me...I'll update, promise! Let me live!  
**Katty: **I hope you liked every single quote. Riza being the NRA is a stroke of genius from my sister (she also gave me a hilarious nickname for Roy, which I'll tell you about later) I think Envy should join the family too. And...you're really smart. You get a medal for guessing a plot twist. (hands over medal shaped like Envy's hair) 

And the next chapter. Tada!

* * *

6: The Truth

Wednesday, May 3rd

"So, when should we put up the sign?" Roy asked.

"What sign?" Riza asked him, looking over.

"The 'freelance hospital' sign," Roy elaborated.

Riza slapped his shoulder. "This is no time to be joking," she scolded.

"You're right. It's time to be sleeping." Roy yawned as he checked his watch. "It's 3 AM, seriously. I have work in the morning. I need to go to bed."

Riza sighed. "All right. I suppose Pride and I can handle everything from here. Go on to bed."

"_Thank _you," Roy sighed, turning in the direction of his and Riza's room.

Riza watched him go, then sat down on the steps leading upstairs, turning a bit so she could keep her eye on the upstairs hall. She wanted to be ready in case Pride needed anything for Envy.

* * *

This...I can't believe they did this. How could they? Envy is one of their most loyal members. He did nothing to deserve this!

Pride didn't even want to look at Envy. His older brother's face, arms, just about everything, was hurt so terribly. He was practically in an entire bandages suit. To make things worse, he hadn't come to yet.

_This is all my fault, _Pride thought, burying his face in his hands. _If I hadn't run away, Envy wouldn't have come after me, and none of this would have happened. Why was I such a selfish idiot? Look what's happened, just because I wanted out_.

_It's not fair. It's not fair at all._

_"...they only found the mother's remains...the boy must have been incinerated...too close to the core of the blast..."_

_No._

_"...just the father and the elder son...poor things all alone...I hear it was the father's fault. He was a gang member...that poor child has a ganglord for a dad..."_

_NO._

_"...will forever be on that man's conscience...heard the boy say it was his fault...that poor little thing..."_

_NO!_

"_Pride._" It was Envy's voice.

"Pride, you did this to me."

No I didn't! I'm sorry!

"You did this to me. I'm probably going to die. You've killed the only one you have left."

NO! I wasn't--! I'm sorry!

"What kind of person are you? You've let your family die. You've let us all die."

I TRIED TO STOP IT! I TRIED! I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! I DIDN'T KNOW I WOULD BE TOO LATE! I TRIED TO SAVE MOM AND AL, I DID! I JUST WASN'T FAST ENOUGH!

"Pride!"

I didn't mean to kill them.

"Pride! Open your eyes! Look at me!"

Pride realized that he had been crying. Not only that, he had been screaming his thoughts aloud. And someone had heard him. Most likely the same someone who was hugging him right now.

"Pride. Respond to me."

Pride dared to open his eyes and lift his face out of his hands. It was Riza.

"What's wrong?"

Pride sniffled and rubbed one eye. He didn't dare say another word. He had already announced to much to the entire block. He looked up at Riza to tell her he didn't want to talk about it.

"Please, tell me what's wrong."

"What's wrong, my little man?"

She looked like his mother again. Pride couldn't bear to look. He hid his face in Riza's chest. "I'm sorry," he croaked, his voice raspy from screaming. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

In his mind he saw his mother, looking concerned, wondering what had her brave little boy so upset. "I didn't save you," Pride managed. "I was right there. I just stood by and watched you die. I'm so sorry. Please, Mom. Please, Mom. Please forgive me."

There was silence from up above, and then the hug tightened. "It's okay," Riza said. "Don't cry. It's okay. It's okay."

* * *

"What was all the screaming?" Roy grumbled, half-asleep. 

"SHHH!" Riza hissed, putting a finger to her lips.

Roy blinked sleepily from the doorway of Pride's room, then his mind finally registered what was going on. Riza was sitting in the chair next to the bed. Pride was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing her. He was leaned forward enough for Riza to have her arms around him, and he wasn't moving. The Envy kid was still out.

"Oh. My apologies," Roy mumbled. He had only gotten a few hours sleep before loud screaming had woken him up, taking the place of his alarm clock. It was now 7:15, and Roy needed to get ready for work, but he had been a little concerned someone was being murdered, so he had come to investigate. However, it looked as though Riza had it under control. "I'm going to get ready for work."

Riza nodded absently, seeming really caught up in Pride at the moment. So Roy exited.

Meanwhile, Riza remained where she was, holding Pride in her arms. He had cried himself to sleep, and Riza wasn't going to move until he woke up. The fact that he trusted her enough to fall asleep on her warmed her heart, but the things she had heard him screaming chilled it.

So his mother and brother had died. Pride had tried to save them, but he had been too late. And he blamed himself for that. So much to the fact that he thought of himself as their killer. Was this was drove him to join a gang and throw away his name? How terrible!

Riza's gaze drifted to Envy, who almost looked like he was sleeping. And now this had happened to his only brother...no wonder Pride had pretty much lost it. He no doubt blamed himself for this.

It's not fair, Riza thought, absently rubbing Pride's back. _Why does all of this have to fall on this poor boy's shoulders_? 

"...Riza?"

Riza blinked and looked down to see Pride looking up at her, eyes red-rimmed and half open. "I fell asleep?" he said, his voice creaky from sleeping.

"Yes," Riza said, giving him a comforting smile.

"...Sorry."

"It's all right. I didn't mind."

Pride shifted and leaned back, rubbing his eyes. Riza let her arms drop and absently rubbed at one of the tearstains on her chest. It didn't escape Pride's notice. "Oh, um, sorry. Jeez." He let out an unsteady laugh and looked away, towards the window. "I guess I kind of...cracked up last night."

"Maybe you needed it," Riza said.

Pride stiffened and looked back towards her. "How much did you hear?"

"Almost all of it, I believe," Riza replied.

Pride sighed and seemed to deflate. "Oh."

Riza scooted her chair a little closer, so their knees were touching. "Pride, I want to talk to you about it."

Pride gave her an I-knew-_that_ look. "The things I heard," Riza went on, "they were a bit disturbing. Do you really blame yourself for what happened to your mother and brother?"

"Yes I do," Pride said bitterly.

"But why? It sounds as though you did everything you could to save them."

"You only think that because you don't know the whole story," Pride said miserably.

"Then why don't you tell me," Riza said.

Pride refused to look at Riza, instead looking at his lap so his bangs fell forward and hid his eyes. Riza waited patiently, for Pride to respond.

"I..."

Riza reached forward and took Pride's hands in her own. He seemed surprised and looked up at her. "Pride," she said, "I have a favor to ask of you. If you don't want to, you don't have to, but I still want to ask."

Pride swallowed, as if expecting something terrible.

"I want to know your name."

Pride immediately stiffened and started to close up. Riza plunged ahead. "Listen to me. You want to stay here; I know that. If you truly expect to start over, then calling you Pride will do nothing but hold you back. You deserve to be a 15-year-old boy, not a gang member with a harsh title."

"It's not a--"

"Gang, yes, I know. But see what they've done to your brother, to you. Do you truly want to associate with them any longer? Do you want to continue to be Pride? What about the boy you were before? The one with a real name and a real life. Do you mean to tell me you threw him away because of what happened to you?"

Pride looked at her mutely.

"That's no reason. Terrible things happen to innocent people every day. Throwing your past away will not do anything to make it better. If anything, you have to be willing to face it. You have to be willing to feel all the pain, and if you feel overwhelmed, reach out for help."

"How would you know?" Pride asked, his voice grating harshly.

"My parents are dead too."

Pride's hands squeezed into fists, but he didn't pull them away.

"My mother died very shortly after I was born. I never knew her. I only had her picture. My father was killed in a car accident when I was 21. I thought my world was over. I was an only child; I had no siblings. My parents were estranged from their families because they had gotten married. I thought I had no one to turn to. I wanted to die."

Pride's chin quivered slightly. "What happened?" he whispered.

"I met Roy. At first I hated him, because he hadn't lost his parents. His life was fine. I envied him and I hated him. But Roy turned out to be my rock. He kept me from going over the edge. He saved me from my own choking emotions. He listened whenever I had something I needed to get off my chest. If he hadn't been there, I can tell you with almost one hundred percent certainty that I would not be here today. And I want to be that rock for you."

"You do?"

"Yes. I know that there may be a lot of things you've been ignoring. Maybe you think that's the only way you can survive such a traumatizing experience. Well, it's not. It's going to haunt you until you face it. I wasn't ready until I had someone there to help me. Now you've got someone here for you."

Pride was watching her, and he looked so sad Riza almost wanted to cry herself. She kept the tears at bay, however, and held on to his hands. Tears suddenly bloomed in Pride's eyes, and he ducked his head again. "You don't understand..."

"Then make me understand," Riza said.

"But I've been hiding it so long. I can't just _tell _you."

"I don't see why not."

Pride seemed to be fighting an internal battle. He clenched his hands tighter. Riza silently urged him to do the right thing.

A light moan from behind Pride made them both turn. Envy was finally stirring. Pride pulled his hands from Riza and leaned over his brother. "Envy!" he exclaimed, sounding worried and scared. "Are you okay?"

Envy let out another groan, and very slowly cracked open an eye. "Pipsqueak?" he managed, his voice sounding like he had swallowed a box of nails.

"It's okay. You're safe now." Pride's brows slanted angrily. "Who did this? Was it Greed? Or someone else?"

Envy focused his open eye on Pride. "Don't...remember..." he said.

"Well, forget it for now. You're gonna get better." Pride said it in an accusatory way, as if daring Envy to get worse.

Envy's one open eye shifted to Riza's face, and she noticed for the first time that he also had an unusual eye color. It was something in the purple family, and quite bright. The eye narrowed, and then Envy tried unsuccessfully to get up.

"What are you, crazy? Don't try moving right now," Pride ordered, holding him steady.

"NRA," Envy managed, his attention on Riza. "You...brought me?"

Riza could tell that he was struggling to look tough in front of them, despite his extensive injuries. "I'd suggest you get some rest," she said evenly. "You're in a bad way right now."

"Like...hell."

"Will you lie down on the damn pillow, Envy?!" Pride forcibly shoved his older brother back down, suddenly carrying a pissed demeanor. "You break something else and I'll freaking kill you, got it?!"

Envy glared at Pride, but he relaxed. Pride let go of his shoulders and sighed heavily. "Do you need water or anything?"

No response. Envy seemed to be ignoring him now. Pride scowled and crossed his arms. "Fine, be that way, you dumbass."

Riza sighed. So close to a breakthrough. But one good thing did come from this. She had learned more about Pride's past, and his personality. Now if only she could learn his name.

* * *

"Can I ask why you've called me out here?" There was a delicate sniff of disdain. "This place is a dump, Greed. What is this about?" 

"Hey, chill," Greed said, casually lowering his sunglasses. "I don't dare show my face around the place yet."

"Yet? Does this mean you've found Pride?"

Greed nodded, grinning. "I know where the little runt's been staying. However, the people're packing some heat, so I'll need a little help to go get him."

A thin eyebrow arched. "So you call _me_? Greed, I don't even _like _you. Why would I help you?"

"Because I thought you'd be interested. Envy's with them now, too."

"Envy?" Finally, there was a note of interest.

"Yep. He didn't fare too well after trying to plead his case, and Pride and his pets found him."

There was a moment's silence. "So. _Now_ I see why you called me."

"Yep," Greed said. "So, what do you say? Are you willing to help me, Lust?"

Violet eyes closed as the dark-haired woman dropped her chin slightly in thought. "Just this once, I suppose."

"Good."

* * *

****

Monday, May 8th

"I HOPE THIS WILL BE ENOUGH TO TIDE YOU OVER FOR THE WEEK! I'M AFRAID I'VE RUN A BIT LOW ON SUPPLIES!" Alex announced to the greater area of Central.

"It's fine, just fine," Riza sighed, accepting a box from him. Next to her, Winry shook her head while running off a checklist of items for her latest project.

"IN OTHER NEWS--"

"Inside voices, please, Alex."

"Of course. Forgive me, Mrs. Mustang." Alex Armstrong bowed deeply, nearly knocking over a barrel of blanks. "In other news at the Blond Estates, a lovely family by the name of Curtis has just moved in. MOTHER AND I--pardon, Mother and I get along quite well with them. However, only one of them is even close to blond."

Riza shrugged. "It'll be all right."

"They've got two boys, and one's around my age. He's kind of cute," Winry giggled.

Riza smiled at her lightheartedness.

Alex nodded. "YES, ONE OF THE BOYS, sorry, said he would be interested in seeing your shop sometime. Perhaps you wouldn't mind him coming along at some point?"

"Not a problem," Riza said.

"EXCELLENT! THEN I SHALL BE OFF!" Alex picked up his briefcase and waved a farewell as he backed out the back door. Winry and Riza waved back.

"RIZA. DEAR."

The remaining two turned and saw Roy standing at the door that led to the shop, a look of doom on his face and a cup of coffee in his hand. "Shouldn't you be at work?" Riza pointed out.

"We got off early," Roy said in a doom tone. "Mr. Clair wants to come to dinner tonight." No wonder he smelled of doom.

"Oh, well, that's fine, I suppose," Riza said.

"I've heard you mention Mr. Clair," Winry said. "At least now I'll get to meet him." She was staying over again to work on her latest project.

"Yes, and he can meet our in-patients," Roy doomed.

Winry turned to Riza. "Pride's still here?"

Riza nodded. "As well as his brother." Seeing Winry about to mount a protest, she plunged ahead. "They're my guests, just like you are, and I'd appreciate you not bugging them with questions or starting fights."

"Well, okay, but I just don't think it's a good--"

"Winry."

"Sorry." Winry's cheeks flushed.

"Riza, you won't mind if I hang myself before dinner, will you?"

Riza gazed at her overdramatic husband. "How much coffee have you had today?"

* * *

"So...let me guess. Truth serum in your apple juice?" 

Pride frowned. "What?"

Envy, the fastest healer in the world, seriously, like a Guinness world-record holder for fast healing, looked at Pride out of the corner of his eye. "I'm just trying to figure out how NRA managed to get you to tell her so much about things that are supposed to be secret and private. Am I right?"

Pride sighed and rolled his eyes. "I don't even drink apple juice."

"Then tell me why, huh, Pride?" Envy changed positions on the bed and winced, some of his more stubborn injuries complaining. "Why are you suddenly the worst secret-holder in the world?"

"Riza just wants to help me," Pride said defensively.

"Uh huh," Envy said in a "yeah right" tone. "And what part of 'help' involves telling her key things about the rest of us?"

Pride shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't tell her all that much. I mean, if I say I don't want to talk about stuff, she won't press it--"

"Then why are we here?" Envy snapped, sitting up fully. "Why does she know what to call us? You're slipping big time, Pride. But we can still fix this. Once I recover, we'll go back and--"

"No. That's one thing I'm definitely _not _doing," Pride said firmly.

"Don't be an idiot. How else are we going to fix your mess?"

Pride glared at Envy. "All right, then. Before I answer that, you answer this. Who beat you up?"

Envy blinked in surprise.

"Well? Was it Greed? One of the other Chosen? Or our lord and master herse--"

Envy's fist shot out and connected with Pride's jaw, stopping his sentence. "You've been away from home far too long," Envy said dangerously. "You're talking stupid now."

Pride reached up and touched his chin, his face still pointed towards where the punch has pushed it.

"You want to be an idiot? Fine. But you aren't taking me down with you. I joked about it in that stupid shop, but I won't let you get me kicked out. Like it or not, once I can walk we are leaving, and that's final."

Pride still said nothing.

"And don't ever talk about Mother that way again. It's disrespectful."

Finally Pride looked up. "So it was her," he said.

"Damn it, Pride!" Envy grabbed Pride by the front of his shirt and jerked him to eye level. "I don't know what kind of crap the damn NRA's been plugging into your brain, but you'd better cut it out."

"Why? Because I disagree with Mother beating you to a pulp?" Pride shot back.

Envy stiffened, then glared. "Like I said, stop talking stupid."

Pride suddenly retaliated by punching Envy straight in the cheek. "_You _stop talking stupid!" he yelled, standing up. "What the hell's your problem, defending someone who did this to you? Don't you even care? Don't you want anything better?"

Envy glared up at him while slowly rubbing his rapidly reddening cheek.

"Well, I do," Pride said, letting his fists unclench. His anger seemed to deflate before Envy's eyes. "It scares me to see you like this."

Envy started. "What? I'll get over it."

"So? It's still awful. Don't you care? At all?"

"Stop talking to me," Envy snapped, turning away. "And get the hell out."

Pride silently touched the area on his face where Envy had punched him. It had never occurred to him before how truly violent their lifestyle was. Looking back on past events with a different view, it scared him how much he had put up with. It was like being brainwashed. Riza had managed to pull him out of it, so now he was seeing what Envy refused to see.

"You--"

"_Out_."

Pride didn't dare disregard Envy's no-nonsense tone. He left the room.

* * *

Ding-dong.

"He's here," Roy said with an air of doom about him.

"Roy, stop it. There's nothing wrong with having Mr. Clair over for dinner," Riza told him as she walked to the front door. Roy slumped like a puddle of goo on legs in the doorway leading to the kitchen/dining room.

"He can't be all bad, can he?" Winry asked Roy.

"He was supposed to be here at seven," Roy grumbled.

Winry glanced at the clock. 8:31. "Oh..."

Riza opened the door. "Mr. Clair, hello," she said warmly.

"So sorry I'm late, Mrs. Mustang. I seemed to have lost the directions," Mr. Clair said, smiling sheepishly as he ducked down to enter the house.

"Not a problem," Riza assured him. "Roy, will you stop slouching on the wall? You look like a drug addict. Mr. Clair, this is Winry Rockbell, a friend of ours who's staying for a bit."

Winry stuck out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Clair," she said.

"A pleasure to meet you also, Miss Rockbell," Mr. Clair said, shaking her hand.

"Have I seen you before somewhere? Like on TV?" Winry asked.

"I'm pretty sure we haven't met. I'd remember a lovely face like yours."

Roy made the gagging sign as he turned to go in the kitchen.

"Winry, will you go get Pride?" Riza asked as she followed her husband to chastise him. Winy nodded and hurried for the stairs. Mr. Clair, having been abandoned, wandered into the kitchen after Riza and caught the tail end of her lecture. "...stop being immature?"

"Mr. Clair, so nice to see you outside of work," Roy said, sounding like the world's worst actor reading some lines.

If Mr. Clair noticed, he didn't address it, merely smiling sunnily behind his glasses. "The same to you, Roy. Hope I didn't keep you and your wife waiting too long."

"Oh no. Just had to reheat dinner about eight times."

Riza elbowed her husband.

"We're back!" Winry announced, leading a reluctant-looking Pride into the room.

"Your face looks a little better," Riza commented. "Not as swollen."

Pride looked away uncomfortably and absently tapped the bandage covering where his fist-shaped bruise was. "Mr. Clair, this is my second houseguest," Riza went on as Mr. Clair turned to greet him. "Pri--"

She stopped when she saw Pride's reaction. His face lost all color, his eyes went wide, and he nearly tripped and fell where he stood. She, Roy, and Winry all turned to Mr. Clair to see what he had done to trigger such a reaction, but he was sporting a similar face.

"They...look so much..." Winry said, seemingly talking to herself.

"Edward?" Mr. Clair said in a shocked voice.

"_Hohenheim,_" Pride spat.

* * *

...I just realized how long it was.  
My bad. I wasn't trying to kill you. Well, come back, please and thankies. 


	7. The Kid's Real Name

Fasten your seatbelts, folks, his chapter is going to be quite the roller coaster. But before we lower the safety bar, let's thank **kitsune-kitty, YourFavoritePlushie, Tia Ordona, Trinity, Houran, Chibi Hayaku, Guardian Angel o' Wolves, Two Tailz, Bar-Ohki, Katty **and** Phantom of the Pie **for reviewing. Now to respond to certain questions/comments/death threats/desires to die/whatever.

YoFavPlush: Don't die, please? Living's better. Live and read on!  
**Houran: **Hmm...was that sarcasm? (XP) I'm glad I surprise you. I plan to do it again. And, since you convinced me, I'll make more longer chapters. Yay!  
**Guardian Angel: **Man, I just loved your review. You'll see about Dante, Sloth, and Izumi's kids. I think certain things might surprise you.  
**Katty: **Ooh, a guess! I love guesses. They make me so happy. Feel free to keep guessing about stuff. 

And now, the bar comes down, and the wheels start to roll. Hang on, everyone!

* * *

7: The Kid's Real Name

Silence settled over the combination kitchen/dining room as Pride's words fell, as if he had told them all to shut the hell up, instead of said a name. For a moment, no one moved, no one blinked. There was barely any breathing involved.

"What's going on?" Winry said, finally shattering the silence.

Mr. Clair, or Hohenheim, took a step forward, arms half-raised as if to hug Pride. "You're alive," he said in an astonished tone. "I thought...I thought you were--"

"Dead?" Pride crossed his arms over his chest, scowling. "No. I left the note, all right, but I was too much of a wimp to go through with it. I thought _you _were still in Risembool."

Roy opened his mouth to say something, but Riza quickly lifted a finger to her lips, keeping him quiet.

"After your...after I thought you died, I was forced to move on," Hohenheim said. "I...had no choice. I had to get busy again to keep my mind off my family."

"Which one?" Pride said, sounding angry and hurt. "Ours or theirs?"

Hohenheim stiffened. "Ours, of course. You don't mean to say--"

Pride held up five fingers. "Five years running. I'm Pride."

Hohenheim looked so stunned it seemed he was having a silent heart attack. Riza, Roy, and Winry, silent bystanders, watched the scene play out.

"Or...or, was," Pride suddenly corrected, looking away. "I'm leaving. I mean, I'm trying to quit."

Hohenheim raised his arms further. "I'm so sorry," he said, sounding grief-stricken. "I didn't know you were alive. If I had, I would never have left y--"

"I know," Pride interrupted, staring at a most fascinating section of the floor.

Silence settled again, weighing heavily. Winry suddenly coughed, and that seemed to snap the two back into focus.

"Oh! I'm, uh, sorry," Hohenheim said, offering a weak smile. He rubbed the back of his head as he turned to face the Mustangs and Winry. "You're probably wondering what's going on."

"That's a start," Roy said dryly.

"It's a long story," Pride spoke up suddenly. "T-This is...um, my dad."

Roy and Riza stared. "Your father?" Riza repeated.

Hohenheim nodded.

"No wonder you two look so much alike," Winry commented.

"If you don't mind," Hohenheim said, "could I have a moment alone with my son?"

"Of course," Riza said, steering Roy and Winry out of the kitchen. "Take all the time you need." She pushed them into the study, which had a door they could close, giving the two more privacy.

Roy sat on the couch. "Well, what do you know. My absentminded boss is the dad of the kid we took in a month ago," he summarized.

"It sounds like they had a hard time," Winry commented, sounding sympathetic.

Riza leaned against the door silently, mulling over what she had just heard. Mr. Clair, Hohenheim, was Pride's father. And he had thought his son was dead. Pride had left him some kind of note, and from what he said, it had sounded like a suicide note. How terrible. It was amazing how Hohenheim had managed to recover. The few times she had met him, she had never even guessed he had a tragic past.

And then to come over to an employee's house for dinner and find his son, alive and well, after at least five years? Riza shook her head, marveling at the coincidence.

_And then when he saw him...wait. _Riza frowned. _He didn't call him Pride; he used a name. What was it? Ed...win? Ed...gar? Why don't I remember? _She chastised herself for not remembering Pride's real name.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Winry wondered aloud.

"The good old days?" Roy guessed.

* * *

"I wish you had just come home, Edward," Hohenheim said, his words tinged with sadness. 

Pride shook his head. "I couldn't. I was still pissed at you. And myself."

"Please, tell me you don't still believe your mother and brother's deaths were your fault. You were a child. There's no way you could have done anything," Hohenheim said.

"You don't know!" Pride snapped, glaring at him. "I heard you talking with M..." he swallowed, the title sticking in his throat.

"With Dante," Hohenheim finished for him, broad shoulders slumping. "So you think it's your fault because you heard what would happen and did nothing?"

Pride stared down at his crossed arms.

"And then one of Dante's minions found you and convinced you to join the family," Hohenheim guessed.

"Not a _minion_," Pride corrected irritably.

"Henchman, whatever. And you lived in that gang for five--"

"It's not a--"

"Stop lying to yourself, Edward. Yes it is a gang." Hohenheim leaned forward. "I can see scars on you."

Pride shuddered and rubbed his arms. "It was different then," he said softly. "I thought I was a killer. She offered me a home. I-I was with a new family, since I had lost my old one."

"Dante is very manipulative," Hohenheim said wearily. "Even when sends someone to kill you, somehow she can make you believe it's for your own good. Unfortunately, I'm not surprised that you joined so quickly and stayed so long. I am relieved to hear that you're leaving." He frowned. "Do they know where you are?"

Pride shook his head. "Riza saved me."

"Oh, my son." Hohenheim placed his huge hands on Pride's crossed arms. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should have stayed with you. I had no idea you blamed yourself for what happened to Trisha and Alphonse, but I still should have been there for you more."

"It's not like it would have mattered," Pride mumbled, not sounding very certain.

"Tell me what I can do to make it up to you," Hohenheim insisted.

Pride started and looked up at him, directly in the eyes for the first time. "Whatever you need, I'll get it for you," Hohenheim went on earnestly, looking into his son's eyes. "I have a lot of money, and I'll use every cent to get you anything you need. I'll see to it that Dante's gang never touches you again."

Pride's vision started to swim. "Old man, you don't..." he trailed off, not bothering to finish the sentence. When Hohenheim pulled him into a hug, he didn't resist and let his head fall on the giant shoulder.

"Whatever it takes," Hohenheim said again.

"I'll be fine," Pride said. "But...Dad, Envy's here."

Hohenheim pulled back and stared at his son. "Envy?" he repeated, as if in disbelief.

Pride nodded. "They...he got beaten up pretty bad. I need to keep him safe too."

Hohenheim pressed his mouth into a determined line. "Whatever it takes," he said again.

* * *

When the door to the study opened, all three heads inside looked up. Hohenheim and Pride entered, looking a lot less tense than they had before. 

"Caught up on the good old days?" Roy commented, shaking out his newspaper.

"More or less," Hohenheim said, with another sheepish smile.

"Riza," Pride said, and Riza turned her attention to him, "...um, and Roy and Winry, I wanna tell you guys something."

Winry blinked in surprise at being addressed. Pride looked hesitant, but Hohenheim patted his shoulder encouragingly, and he heaved a big breath and determinedly plowed on. "My name is Edward. I want you guys to call me Edward from now on, instead of Pride."

Roy raised his brows in surprise. Winry looked stunned. Riza was also surprised, but she smiled as she stood. "We'd love to," she said. "It's a wonderful name."

"Um--of course," Winry agreed quickly, still looking a little stunned.

"Yeah, sure," Roy agreed also.

Riza took the 15-year-old's face in her hands and tilted his head so he was looking at him. "It suits you very well," she said. "Don't you think so?"

"...I...guess," the freshly proclaimed Edward said, his cheeks flushing.

"Yeah, a whole lot better than Pride or Puraidope," Winry commented in an off-handed way.

"Puree-what?" Roy said, a brow raising.

"We have to go talk to Envy," Edward mumbled, pulling his face out of Riza's hands.

"You don't mind me traipsing upstairs, I hope?" Hohenheim asked.

"Of course not. Go right ahead," Riza said.

* * *

Envy painfully stretched his leg muscles, hearing his bones crack in protest. Even as the world's fastest healer, he still had some stubborn injuries. But that was his fault. Mother had said not to come back without Pride, and he had done exactly that. What had he expected? 

At least now Pride was with him. Once Envy was finally in the clear, it was back to base. Greed could keep wandering around like an idiot, looking for Pride, but Envy would be set. If only Pride would stop talking stupid about staying with the NRA and her coffee-fiend husband.

As if conjured up by Envy's thoughts, the door opened, and Pride came in. "What up, Pride Jr.?" Envy greeted as he flexed his left knee, wincing at the soreness.

"Envy," Pride said gravely, "we've gotta talk."

Envy glanced at him over a shoulder, then collapsed onto the bed. "Uh-oh," he said, a teasing grin on his face. "You've got your gloom face on. Must be serious."

"It is," Pride said.

"Okay, go ahead, Pride. I'm all ears."

"For one, I'm not going by Pride anymore."

"Whaaat?" Envy said, his brow furrowing. "What kind of stupid are you talking now? Of course you are."

"No, I'm not," Pride said firmly. "It's Edward from now on."

Envy scowled, crossing his legs and ignoring the twinges of pain. "Well that's plain idiotic. All the Chosen go by their titles; it's how we roll, remember? What're they going to call you back home? Oh, I see," he went on as Pride opened his mouth to speak, "you're still spouting that crap about staying here. Well, forget it. We're going back."

"No," Pride said firmly, sounding more authoritative than Envy had ever heard him. "I'm not going back, and neither are you."

Envy's violet eyes narrowed. "Okay, this junk wasn't funny the first time, Pride. Knock it off."

"He said he isn't going to leave. You should be enough of an older brother to respect his wishes."

Envy froze at the familiar voice, wanting to pretend he didn't hear it, hoping it wasn't attached to the person he was thinking of. His prayers went unanswered as Hohenheim stepped around the door, still tall enough for Envy to have to crane his neck back to look him in the face.

"Oh, _hell_ no," Envy spat, all jokes aside. "_What_ is your problem, Pride? You brought that bastard here?"

"Look, Envy," Pride said. "Going back is dangerous for both of us. Dad can help us get away."

"You are out of your damn _mind_ if you think I'll let that turncoat bastard within ten _feet_ of me!" Envy yelled. He pointed a menacing finger at Hohenheim, followed with a piercing glare. "You get the hell away from me."

Hohenheim didn't look angry. In fact, he looked as if he understood Envy's reaction, which made the 20-year-old's blood boil even more. "Envy, you don't want to die," he said. "You don't want Edward to die. That's exactly what will happen to the both of you if you go back to Dante and her gang."

"Don't talk about Mother like that!" Envy yelled. "And it's not a gang!"

"Yes it is!"

Stunned, Envy turned to stare at Pride, who seemed surprised at his own outburst. "You are insane," he said dangerously. "Both of you, leave me the hell alone."

"Envy, I--"

Pride cut himself off as his gaze flickered to the window. Immediately he hurried over to it and peered out.

"What is it?" Hohenheim asked, taking a step forward.

Envy watched as Pride's face turned white. "Dammit, they found me!" he cried, spinning away from the window. "I have to warn Riza and the others!" He threw open the door and bolted through.

"Not good," Hohenheim said grimly, approaching the bed.

Envy knew who Pride meant. Greed, and probably some lower-ranked minions. For a moment, a flash of genuine fear passed through him. Greed was reckless. He'd blow up the whole house just to get Pride. And he and Envy really didn't like each other anyway.

"We have to go," Hohenheim said, snapping Envy back. The man had crossed the room in a few short strides and was next to the bed.

"No, you stay the hell away from me!" Envy ordered, trying to stand up so he could put some distance between himself and Hohenheim.

"Envy, we really don't have time for this," Hohenheim said. In a flash he had reached out, grabbed Envy by the arm, and slung him over a shoulder. If Envy had been at normal health, he could have dodged with minimal effort. But even the world's fastest healer was currently too riddled with injuries to dodge much.

"IF YOU DON'T PUT ME DOWN, YOU BASTARD--!" Envy started to rail.

Hohenheim grabbed a sheet off the bed and kind of wrapped it around Envy's head, muffling the screams and curses. "What if we have to sneak away?" he said as he started moving. Envy's muffled curses grew more colorful as he tried to pull the sheet off.

* * *

It was a nice house. A really nice house. One of the fancy types. Two stories, relatively clean-looking, a nice spreading lawn. Probably the perfect place to raise a family and a dog. 

Too bad for the people inside, Greed thought as he strode up to the door. Lust was waiting for his signal. In mere moments, everyone in the house would be dead. Including the runaway Pride.

A little smile crossed Greed's face. And Envy, poor Envy. He would get caught in the crossfire. What a shame.

Greed casually sauntered up the porch steps and to the front door. A worn welcome mat lay at his feet. Greed was courteous enough to wipe his shoes off before reaching up and knocking solidly on the door. Then, he pulled his gun from his holster and aimed straight at the door.

Whoever answered would get the honor of dying first.

* * *

Riza heard the knock on the door and stood. "I'll get it," she said to Roy. 

"Okay," Roy said, half his attention on his paper.

Riza made her way out of the study and down the hall. She wondered if Pride--no, Edward--and his father were still talking with Envy. Everyone downstairs had heard Envy screaming and yelling. When it had stopped, Riza had hoped that meant they were talking in a more civilized way.

What was it Envy had against Hohenheim, Riza mused. It had to be some kind of dispute. Envy had called Hohenheim a bunch of names. So why did he hate his father? What had happened in their past? And had he been there when his mother and brother died?

It was a confusing muddle of events, Riza finally admitted to herself as she walked up to the front door. Maybe at some point, Edward would trust her enough to tell her the story. If he ever did, she would be there for him, no doubt about it.

Riza looked into the peephole, but couldn't see anyone. Was this some kind of stupid prank? Riza remembered those kids sticking a pin in the doorbell about a year ago. Frowning, she turned the knob.

* * *

Edward fairly flew down the stairs, knowing that things would probably turn bad soon. He halted at the study door, but only Roy and Winry were there. 

"Where's Riza?" he asked.

Roy looked up. "She went to answer the door. Someone just rang."

"Someone...? Oh, dammit!" Edward exclaimed. "It's probably Greed. He's going to kill her!"

At this, both Roy and Winry jumped up, though Roy was faster. "What?!" he exclaimed, but Edward had already taken off for the front hall.

"Who's Greed?" Winry wondered fearfully.

"I don't know," Roy said, his face grim as he hurried out of the study. Winry followed, clutching her wrench nervously.

* * *

Edward was running as fast as he could. He wheeled into the front hall just in time to see Riza at the other end, pulling open the door. 

"Riza, DON'T!" he cried.

Click. BANG!

* * *

Hohenheim heard the gunshot as he approached the top of the stairs, Envy still kicking and squirming on his shoulder. His face turned grave as he started down. 

A crash behind him made him whirl, and even Envy paused. Finally pulling the sheet from around his face, Envy looked around. "What the hell was that?" he said, his voice instinctively lowered.

"We shouldn't stay to find out," Hohenheim said, turning back to the stairs. There was some commotion going on downstairs, one that involved repeated gunshots and what sounded like people running into walls and furniture. He hurried down a few more steps. Envy suddenly sucked in his breath, and Hohenheim paused, hearing a click.

"Not so fast," a smooth voice said from behind him. Hohenheim turned and saw a tall, slender woman with dark hair, in a low-cut dark dress and matching opera gloves, pointing a gun at him.

"Who are you?" Hohenheim said warily.

"I'm the new Lust," the woman said, smiling scarily. "And I know who you are. You used to be Wrath, didn't you? I wasn't expecting you here."

Hohenheim glared. "Am I to assume you're here to kill us all?" he asked.

"More or less," Lust said. "Envy, Mother is very unhappy with you. How could you abandon us like your stupid little brother, hmm?"

Envy's body stiffened. "It's such a shame," Lust went on, seeming to enjoy herself. "And after so many years of loyal service to us. Mother will be sad to lose you."

"I'm sure she will," Hohenheim spat. "Just like I'm sure she's been sad every time she killed one of her 'children'. Or had hem beaten to within an inch of their lives. I'm certain it tears out her heart everytime she takes time out to personally murder--"

"That's enough from you," Lust said, raising the gun a bit so that it was aimed at Hohenheim's forehead. "Mother will be pleased to hear of your death."

"Bitch," Envy snarled.

"Think what you like." Lust slid her finger over the trigger. Suddenly her attention was momentarily diverted. Hohenheim sensed something coming behind him and ducked, just as a chair went sailing over his head. It nailed Lust straight on and knocked her down.

"Come on!" Edward was at the bottom of the stairs, waving frantically. Hohenheim hurried down the steps two at a time. "What's going on?" he asked.

Edward grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards the back hall. "Greed ambushed Riza at the door," he said, face dark. "He had his gun out."

"She was shot?" Hohenheim said, anguished.

"Oh. No. Riza had her gun out and fired before he could blink. Unfortunately, he took cover, and they're shooting it out now," Edward explained.

They made it to the back door, where Winry was waiting, wrench clenched tightly. "Where's Roy and Riza?" she asked the moment she saw them.

"Holding off Greed," Edward explained, opening the back door. "Riza told me to get you guys and get the store van." He opened his hand to show he had the keys to the van.

They all rushed out into the night. Edward unlocked the van, and Winry climbed into the back seat. Hohenheim sat Envy down on the seat next to her, then climbed into the passenger seat as Edward jumped in the driver's seat and started the car.

"Mr. Clair, you're not driving?" Winry said fearfully.

Hohenheim shook his head. "I'm a bit too reckless behind the wheel," he admitted sheepishly.

"So's Pride," Envy commented sullenly, a split second before Edward mashed the gas pedal and sent them screeching out of the backyard. Winry screamed and Hohenheim grabbed his seatbelt. Envy had already buckled himself in. "Buckle up, everyone!" Edward ordered as he barreled through the yard.

"We're not going _towards_ the gun fight?" Winry cried.

"We have to get the Mustangs," Hohenheim explained to her.

Winry swallowed hard and gripped the handle on the door for support. Edward drove straight through a low hedge and swerved towards the front door. There, they spotted a dark figure pointing a gun inside the open front door. He was firing repeatedly, but was suddenly grabbed by the collar, jerked inside, and then flung outwards on the lawn. Edward screeched to a halt next to the porch steps, and the back doors of the van were flung open. Roy and Riza quickly climbed inside, and Edward was off before they had even gotten the doors closed. He somehow got onto the main road after cutting across a stretch of unowned land and mowing down several innocent plants.

"So...where are we going?" Edward asked about five tense minutes later.

"Keep going this way," Hohenheim instructed. "We'll go to my house."

* * *

Pfft. Ride's over. Well, I hope that was exciting enough for the thrill-seekers.  
Anyhows, reviews are loved. So send them in bulk. Please and thankies. 


	8. Little Brother

Oh yiy. You have returned. I scream with joy, somehow without using all caps.

Okay, just kidding. Yay! You're back! Thanks and sweets to **Bar-Ohki, YourFavoritePlushie, Tia Ordona, Phantom SunsSong, Houran, Guardian Angel of Wolves, Renneh, Phantom of the Pie, Shinkutsuki, **and **Katty **for reviewing. Here are some responses to things that need to be respondeded to:

YoFavPlush: Sorry if I scared you! Well, no, that's what I was trying to do, so...I'm not sorry?  
**Tia O: **Yay! Me too! I kept finding places where I wrote "Edward" instead of "Pride". At least that won't happen anymore.  
**PhanSunSong: **Yeah, you were right. Our Riza's too smart to let herself get shot.  
**Houran: **Yay for me making more longer chapters! And I know how you feel. I can never laugh at anything without my family giving me weird looks.  
**Renneh: **Why thank you!  
**Shinku: **Yep, it's AU. It's set in our world, in our time. Otherwise, this story wouldn't make much sense, you agree? 

Next chap! Huzzah!

* * *

8: Little Brother

"Lust, get up! Wake up!"

Lust eyes blinked open. Her face, chest, and back hurt. Greed was leaning over her, a bruise starting to form over his eye. "Damn," she commented.

What had happened? One moment, she was about to pull the trigger on Envy and the old Wrath, and then suddenly some dark, heavy projectile came hurtling at her face. She abruptly sat up. "Where are they?"

"The bastards got away," Greed said.

Lust sighed, brushing a hand across her sore face. "Did they take anything we can track?"

"No. Some van." Greed helped her to her feet.

"Well, they'll have to come back eventually," Lust said. "Maybe you should stay here and call me when they do." She made to walk down the steps.

Greed grabbed her arm. "You're an idiot if you think Mother will let you come back after letting both Pride _and _Envy slip through your fingers," he warned. "And if she catches wind that the bastard Hohenheim was here..."

Lust glared at him and shoved his hand off. "Fine," she snapped. "We'll track them down. No screw-ups, all right, Greed?"

Greed scowled. "You can count on it. Let's go."

* * *

"You live near the Grand Estates?" Winry said in surprise. 

"What? That never came up? Oh, yes, I do." Hohenheim pointed Edward towards the iron gate that led into the upscale neighborhood next to the Grand Estates. "This one is called the Basque Estates."

The gate was closed, but Hohenheim punched a code on a keypad near the entrance, and the gates silently slid back. Edward drove the van through the gates, and Hohenheim directed him to a huge house near the east wall, with a sprawling lawn and a brick driveway, fancy-pants, yada, yada.

"It's huge," Edward commented as he parked in front of the garage.

"Hang on," Hohenheim said, digging in his pocket. He produced a miniature black square which he aimed at the garage door, and it opened. "It's probably better to hide the van."

Edward shifted the van back into drive and re-parked it inside the garage. It was after everyone had climbed out that Hohenheim asked, "Do you have a learner's permit, son?"

There was a moment's silence. "No," Edward finally said, handing the van's keys to Roy.

"Oh. Well then, how about no more driving until you get one?"

Edward shrugged and turned to help Envy, who seemed to be having a hard time standing without leaning on the van. Envy, however, moved away from his brother, glaring at the wall.

"Come on, everyone," Hohenheim said, starting towards the door that led inside. "Let's regroup in the kitchen."

"Are you still mad at me?" Edward asked in a low voice, hanging behind everyone else with Envy, who stubbornly limped along under his own power.

Envy crossed his arms and focused his attention on putting one foot in front of the other. His hips and legs complained strongly, but he refused to let himself be helped by any of the people present.

"Because Dad was right?"

Envy's glare at his bare feet intensified. Since he had been dragged out of bed, he was still in pajamas, and his usual attire had been unfortunately left back at the house. The hems of the oversized striped pants dragged on the cold floor.

"You're being a butthead, Envy."

One foot, two foot.

"And stupid."

The hems of the pants made funny scratching noises as they dragged across the floor.

"Envy, will you look at me, damn it?"

Envy looked up, straight at Edward. Edward held his gaze for a few moments, then Envy went back to looking at his feet. One of his joints complained more so suddenly, and Envy stumbled. His brother quickly caught him.

"Being a dumbass won't help you recover any faster."

Envy gave up and let his brother support him as they made their way into Hohenheim's house. The plush carpet was much warmer than the garage floor, and Envy's toes stung from the change in temperature. Edward silently helped him into the kitchen, which was ridiculously huge.

"Since we all sort of missed dinner," Hohenheim was saying as he opened a fridge the size of Kansas, "why don't we eat something now, while we plan?"

"Plan?" Roy repeated, pulling out a chair for his wife in the breakfast nook. There were enough chairs in the nook and around the kitchen island to seat everyone.

"We'd better," Riza said, in the process of pinning her hair up. "That man, Greed, won't give up just because we eluded him one time."

"Then what will we do?" Winry asked, sounding nervous.

"First of all, you should go to your grandmother's house," Riza said to Winry. "They don't know about you, and you'll be safer there."

"But--"

"It's not open for discussion," Riza said firmly. "This is a gang we're dealing with. I don't want you getting hurt."

Hohenheim produced a giant party tray of those little sandwiches-on-toothpicks, smothered in plastic wrap. "Those two will mainly be after myself, Edward, and Envy," he said as he put the plate on the table in the nook. "And now, I suppose, you two." He looked towards Roy and Riza as he said this.

"I think it would be a great idea to go on paid vacation starting tomorrow, don't you, boss?" Roy commented.

Hohenheim nodded. "Going to work will only make us vulnerable. We should lay low until we can figure out a solution."

Sitting on a stool at the island, Edward kept half an ear on what the adults were saying at the table. It rather scared him to think that Lust and Greed would be after them. Whenever someone needed to be tracked down, Lust was the one to go to. Would she be able to find them before they came up with a plan?

"You were right."

The words were spoken so softly, Edward wasn't sure he had heard them. He looked over at Envy, perched on his stool, knees up to his chest, chin resting on one knee. Envy had a faraway look in his eye as he frowned softly in the direction of the sink.

"Huh?" Edward said.

"They're going to kill me."

Edward stiffened. He didn't like the way his brother sounded. Envy's pale fingers tapped rhythmically against the bars of the stool. "Lust told me..."

"What?" Edward asked, concerned.

"...It doesn't matter." Envy shifted just a bit, making his pajamas rustle. "Sorry."

Edward was taken aback. In all the time he had known him, Envy had apologized about two and a half times. "So, you still mad at me?" Edward asked once he had finally regained his composure.

"...Yep." Envy looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "You brought _Dad _into this."

Edward shrank back a bit. "It wasn't like I called him up," he said defensively. "I didn't even know he was in Central. He showed up for dinner with Riza and Roy."

"Whatever." Envy turned his gaze back to the sink, obviously done talking. Edward frowned resting his chin in his hands and his elbows on his legs, and after a moment, tuned back into the other conversation still going strong.

"...these estates are out of their usual area," Hohenheim was saying, "unless they've expanded since I last checked."

"No, it's the same," Edward commented.

"Then that's good, right?" Roy said.

Hohenheim nodded. "Still, we should be careful. Dante's got a lot of henchmen."

"Is it safe for all of us to be here?" Riza asked.

Hohenheim nodded. "This is my summer home, and it's registered under one Mr. Lumis."

"Were you planning something like this in the future?" Roy asked. "Why all the aliases?"

Hohenheim smiled sheepishly. "Well, when you've worked in a gang for so long, you start taking measures to ensure they can't find you again."

In a strange way, that made perfect sense.

* * *

Edward and Envy were given a room to share. It was more than big enough for two people, with queen-sized beds on the east and west walls. Envy had fallen asleep fairly quickly, motionless except for the rising and falling of his back as he slept on his face, one arm hanging over the side of the bed. 

However, Edward didn't fall asleep as quickly. His mind was on other things as he lay on top of the covers, staring at the ceiling.

Were they safe? Really safe? How long until they confronted Greed and Lust, or were confronted? Was Envy _ever _going to stop being mad at him? Edward knew how long his brother could hold grudges.

Speaking of grudges, did Riza and Roy hold one against him? It was his fault they had had to flee their own home, were practically in hiding now. Edward didn't think they were mad at him, but maybe they were passive-aggressive types. It was possible.

Ed sighed and turned on his side, resting his cheek on his palm. He now faced Envy's sleeping form, partially visible in the weak sunlight. It must be morning already.

_I'm scared, _Edward admitted in his mind. _In a sense I got what I wanted, but now I'm scared it won't last long. And I'm also scared that a lot of people will be killed because of me. I wish_...

He sighed and didn't finish the thought.

* * *

****

Tuesday, May 9th

"Here's the path," Winry said, pulling a low-hanging branch aside. "I knew it was here, but I've never used it myself. I've just seen other kids use it."

Edward nodded slowly. "It leads straight to, um, what's it called?"

"The Grand Estates," Winry said, flashing a brief smile. "But everybody who lives there calls it the Blond Estates."

"Why's that?" Edward asked as he held up the branch for Winry.

She ducked her head to get through. "Almost everyone who lives there is blond," she explained.

It was the next morning, a little after ten. Riza had charged Edward with escorting Winry safely to her house. They didn't want to take any chances. And besides, it was the gentlemanly thing to do. Edward had agreed, tired of his back being singed by Envy's glares.

So the two were off, heading for the Grand Estates. They were each a bit shy around the other at first, but eventually warmed up enough to make small talk. Now that Winry had stopped thinking so negatively about Edward, and had a real name to call him instead of a title, she found it easier to speak with him.

"Why's that?" Edward asked, following Winry down the narrow footpath. On either side was the forest between estates.

Winry shrugged. "Nobody knows. It's just kind of like that," she said.

"Oh." They walked silently down the path, keeping an eye out so as not to trip on any loose rocks or protruding roots.

"So, um, Edward," Winry said, ducking under another branch, "do you...like to do anything for fun?"

"Not really," Edward replied. "I'm usually...uh, I was usually busy. A lot."

"Oh." Winry ducked under another branch, but when she tried to keep going, she was jerked to a stop. "Ow!" She twisted around to see her ponytail had gotten caught in the branch. "Oh, man..." She tried to pull it out, sending pain across her scalp.

Edward caught up to her and saw her current dilemma. "Hang on," he said, grimly reaching for the tangled strands. He started unwinding and untangling so fast his hands were almost a blur. Winry watched in amazement as her hair was freed within seconds.

"How did you do that so fast?" Winry asked.

Edward shrugged.

"Thanks," Winry said, absently running her fingers through her hair, dislodging a few tiny twigs and leaf fragments.

"No problem," Edward mumbled, looking away. Then he blinked. "Who's that?"

Winry followed his gaze and saw a small figure with long, wild black hair trudging away from them through the woods. "I think that's Roth Curtis," she said. "Hey, Roth!"

The figure stopped and turned. Winry waved at him. "What're you doing out here by yourself?" she called.

"I got lost!" the boy yelled back, weaving through trees towards them. He was in what looked like a school uniform: a white shirt and red tie under a navy blazer, matching navy shorts, white socks, and loafers. He was suddenly straightening his clothes like there was no tomorrow.

"You got lost?" Winry repeated. "That's why no one goes in the woods alone. They're huge, remember?"

"I know now," Roth grumbled. "Mom'll be really mad at me if I get my uniform messed up. But I just wanted to catch Spot."

"Your dog?" Winry guessed.

"No. Spot's a rat. He got outta his cage."

"Oh, of course," Winry said, as if that were the most obvious thing in the world.

Roth seemed to suddenly notice Edward and turned to him. "Hi, I'm Roth. Who're you?"

"Oh, this is my friend," Winry said quickly, unsure if they should be spreading Ed's name around. Wasn't his gang supposed to have eyes and ears all over the place? "He's just here for a visit."

"I'm Edward," Edward said with a sunny smile, extending a hand.

Roth dutifully shook it. "Nice to meet ya. You remind me of somebody, but I'm not sure who."

"I get that a lot," Edward said easily.

"Where you guys going?" Roth asked.

"Um...Edward's going to drop me off at my house," Winry said.

"Can I come? You're in my same block."

Edward shrugged. "Why not?"

"Cool." Roth dusted off his shorts and followed them down the narrow path. "You live in the Blond Estates too, Edward?"

Edward shook his head. "I'm, uh, just visiting some relatives."

"Aw. I can't find anybody outside my own family without blond hair. It's kind of creepy," Roth said matter-of-factly.

"There's some non-blondes," Winry told him. "You just have to look."

They finally emerged on the other side of the woods. The path fed out into the invisible line between two yards. The three crossed the yards and got onto the sidewalk. Roth kept up a steady stream of chatter, talking about his pets, his toys, his school projects, and not really requiring any responses from Winry or Edward. He talked so much and so quickly that Edward momentarily wondered about his mental health.

Finally they reached Winry and Roth's block. "That's my house," Roth said, pointing in the direction of several identical houses all in a row. "I think that one's Winry's, the one with the busted car in the yard."

"I'm assembling it," Winry explained. At the boys' incredulous looks, she smiled. "What? I like mechanics."

"You're weird," Roth said bluntly, kicking a rock.

"So are you," Winry replied.

"Hey, Edward!" Roth said, suddenly switching topics. "Wanna meet my mom?"

Edward and Winry exchanged glances. "Um, maybe some other time," Edward hedged. "I need to get back home soon."

Roth did a cartwheel, then started straightening his uniform. "But nobody's trying to get to know her, just because she body-slammed this one dude. It's like they're scared of her."

"Um..."

"Roth!" a distant voice yelled.

Roth flinched. "Aw, jeez," he said. "Mom musta sent my brother to find me."

"You don't like him?" Winry said in surprise.

"No, I like him fine, but if Mom sends him after me, it means I'm in trouble, and she wants me to see one last friendly face before I die," Roth said matter-of-factly, heading up the sidewalk.

"Is it me, or does his mother sound a bit unhinged?" Edward whispered to Winry.

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but maybe that's why no one wants to get to know her," Winry whispered back.

"I'm right here, I'm right here!" Roth was yelling. "Come on, guys, you can at least meet my brother!"

Winry shrugged. "What do you say?" she asked Edward.

"I guess," Edward replied.

They followed Roth and watched him cut into someone else's yard and disappear behind the side of another house. "HERE I AM!" he bellowed.

"AAH! Roth, I told you to stop doing that," a boy's voice said patiently.

"Sorry. Hey, wanna meet my new friends?"

"We're his friends?" Winry and Edward said in unison.

"Mom wants you to come to the house. She's been looking for you. It looks like you didn't destroy your uniform, so maybe she won't be as mad," the boy said, his voice getting closer.

"I know. But come on! They're really cool, and the dude has green hair! It looks awesome! I wanna try green hair! You think it would look good on me? I hear pale people can't wear dark colors..." Roth rambled.

Winry and Edward approached the edge of the sidewalk, and Roth popped out from behind the building, dragging his older brother with him. "There you are!" Roth said. "I thought you'd wandered off!"

"Us wander off?" Winry said incredulously. "Isn't that your job?"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway! Guys, this is my brother!" Roth announced.

"We already met," Winry said, "last--"

She stopped when she realized Roth's brother wasn't really paying her any attention. In fact, he held an expression similar to Hohenheim's last night at dinner. Winry realized that he was staring at Edward, and turned to see what Edward had done to stun Roth's brother so much.

However, it was like deja vu. Edward had almost the exact same expression. _What now? _Winry thought, wondering if they were long-lost cousins or something.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Roth demanded. "Why's everyone all slack-jawed?"

Roth's brother spoke first, in an almost reverent whisper. "Ed?"

_I knew it,_ Winry thought.

Edward swallowed, then took a step forward. He seemed to be afraid to speak, but he finally did, in nearly the same tone as Roth's brother.

"_Al_?"

* * *

I did it again. Ba-dump-pssh. 

Anyways, leave me reviews, express your joy/sadness/shock/fear/embarrassment/fury/whatever emotion this chapter evokes. I'd love to hear from you!


	9. The Kid's Past

Hmmm. It seems...well, nevermind.

Anyway, thanks and a sugar cookie to **Guardian Angel of Wolves, Tia Ordona, Shinkutsuki, Dark Reborn, YourFavoritePlushie, Houran, Phantom of the Pie, Renneh, Bar-Ohki, Phantom SunsSong, Chibi Hayaku Hashiru, Katty, **and **Atemu'sLotus **for reviewing. Reading the replies was hilarious, because almost everyone had a variation of "IT'S AL!" or "AL'S ALIVE!" or just "AL?!" Yes, Al. Yay! **Katty **had already guessed a few chapters back, but I'm glad I got to surprise so many of you. Now some responses.

Guardian Angel: Yes, Al. Well, Hoho's house in the Grand Estates is only his summer home, so he's not there very much anyhow. And the rest is explained in the chapter. And I chuckle over Wrath in uniform. Remember that episode where he squeezed that rat? Yep, inspiration.  
**YoFavPlush: **Yes, Ed's having quite the week. In fact, this is quite the 24-hour-period, isn't it?**  
Houran: **Oh, yeah, I will. And don't worry, the cliffie's resolved today. Well, actually, you see, Trisha put herself in a suspended animation bubble just before the car blew up, so now she's in deep freeze in outer space, waiting for someone to--ah, just kidding.  
**Renneh: **Oh, well don't let your eyes pop out. That's bad. But suspense is good! Oh, and heart attacks are worse. I am definitely reading the manga, but have only gotten to 12. What happens to Envy? (fears the worst) I'm glad to be loved! Next chapter up!  
**Phantom SunsSong: **Oh, I was wondering if anyone would get the hidden meaning behind that! I like Al too, which is why I just couldn't kill him off.  
**Katty: **Ta da! It's Wrath!  
**Atemu'sLotus: **YES! Finally someone notices! I love brotherly Ed and Envy. And I didn't have Hoho nearly as absent-minded until I read number 10 of the manga, where he's all "I seem to have lost my house." After that I just HAD to do it. Yay for Al, sadness for Trisha...um, cookies for Roth? 

And now, I kill the evil cliffie. Enjoy!

* * *

9: The Kid's Past

"Coffee," Roy said with a blissful sigh, plunking down at the kitchen island. "The best invention since sliced bread."

"I'll take one," Riza commented, combing her hair.

Roy produced a second cup like magic. "I thought you'd want one. You look pretty tired," he said.

It was true. There were sleep-deprived bags under Riza's eyes. "I didn't sleep much last night," she admitted, accepting the coffee and drinking it black. She made a face, but swallowed it anyway.

Roy glanced over at Hohenheim, who was currently rifling for breakfast in the monstrous fridge, his legs and rear sticking out. "Bad dream?" he asked his wife.

"No. Just a lot of thinking." Riza took another sip and made another face. "Roy, could you--"

Roy produced a bottle of creamer and a glass jar of sugar.

"Lifesaver," Riza praised, snatching both and proceeding to dump large amounts of cream and sugar into her coffee.

Envy suddenly appeared in the kitchen entrance, forest green hair disheveled(more so than usual), and a sour look on his face. His pajamas, borrowed from Roy, looked like they had been crunched into a ball for six weeks. Silently, Envy sat at the kitchen island, as far away from all three as he could get, and started moodily tugging on his hair.

"How about waffles?" Hohenheim suddenly said, popping out of the fridge with a box of frozen waffles in hand.

"Where's Pride?" Envy mumbled.

Riza glanced over at him after taking a sip of her freshly overcreamed and oversugared coffee. "His name is Edward," she corrected, "and he went to take Winry home."

Envy slumped on his stool, staring down at his lap. "Why?" he said, so softly they barely heard it.

"Why what?" Riza asked.

"Why did you do it?" For the first time, Envy looked directly at Riza.

"What?"

"All this...stuff!" Envy looked frustrated. "Why the hell do you care? You don't know him. You don't know me. And you're probably gonna die. What's your deal?"

Roy took a large swallow of coffee. Hohenheim blinked from where he stood in front of the open fridge.

Riza glanced down into her coffee, then back up at Envy. "It's funny. Edward asked me a similar question a while ago." Her voice became softer. "What I don't understand is why it confuses you so much that I want to help."

Envy glared at her. "People like you on the outside don't understand us," he said. "You don't--"

"Know how we feel," Hohenheim suddenly spoke up. All heads turned to him, but he continued, a sad, faraway look in his eye. "You make assumptions and reject us because of them. We can't trust any of you. We have to stick together." He returned to the room and smiled sadly at its occupants. "Dante has quite a way with words."

"So...it's brainwashing?" Roy guessed.

Hohenheim nodded. "In a sense. She convinces you that anyone outside the gang is not to be trusted, in order to keep you isolated, should the desire to leave ever arise."

Riza turned back to Envy and saw that he was now glaring at the island so hard it seemed strange that it hadn't exploded yet. "You talk like you've got it all figured out, you bastard," he spat at an innocent napkin. "You don't know anything. Anything!"

"I know plenty," Hohenheim said in a world-weary tone. "Dante ensnared me with the same tricks she used on all the other Chosen and every other member of that gang."

"They're not tricks, dammit!" Envy yelled, glaring now at his father. "How would you know? You skipped out so fast it was like you weren't ever there! You just left us! _Me_! And you didn't care, did you? You were too eager to leave me behind and start some new suburban family and have 2.6 adorable freaking kids to look up to you--"

"It was wrong of me to leave you," Hohenheim said. "But Dante wouldn't have let you go. She would rather have killed you. I left you to save you."

"Like hell!" Envy yelled, then resumed glaring at his lap. His fists, clenched on the table, were shaking. Riza watched him, recognizing some of Pride's actions. She felt her heart go out to him.

Roy set down his empty mug. "You keep mentioning this Dante woman," he said to Hohenheim. "What is she? The ganglord?"

Hohenheim sat down at the island with a sigh, the frozen waffles in his hand forgotten. "Yes, I suppose," he said. "She heads the gang and oversees the recruiting of all new members. Like I said, she's a master at manipulation, which is how she is able to have so many loyal followers."

"How many are we talking?" Roy asked.

"At least fifty, including the Chosen. There might be more by now."

"What are these Chosen?" Riza suddenly spoke up. "It's been mentioned several times."

Hohenheim heaved a sigh. "The Chosen are seven members on the inner circle. They are the closest to Dante and oversee most of the gang's activities. To signify their status, each of the seven chosen is given a title upon their initiation. I'm sure you've guessed the theme."

"The seven sins," Riza said. "Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath..."

"Sloth," Roy supplied.

Riza nodded. "And Envy and Pride."

"I was one of the chosen," Hohenheim said. "I was Wrath. When I left I was forced to leave my son behind, so as not to bring his mother's wrath down on him. It was the only way I could see to save him."

Riza blinked. "So...Envy's mother is Dante?"

Hohenheim nodded. "I planned to negotiate for Envy's freedom, but Dante wouldn't have it. She punished me for leaving by attacking my new family."

Roy looked grim. Riza was deep in thought. "Then...the death of Edward's mother and brother was a direct attack from Dante? She killed them?"

Hohenheim nodded grimly. "Trisha's and Alphonse's deaths drove Edward away from me, and he left me a suicide note. I had thought he was dead."

"Then you show up at our house for dinner and there he is," Roy said.

"It doesn't surprise me that Dante was able to lure Edward into the gang. He was going through a storm of emotions at the time. People like him, who have undergone some sort of tragedy, are her prime targets."

Roy shook his head. "Well, at least we have an idea what she's capable of," he said.

"And she'll be coming after us," Riza stated.

"Yes," Hohenheim said. "So we have to be ready."

"Maybe we should call the police," Roy said. "Seriously, this is a very dangerous gang. Isn't it out of our league?"

Hohenheim looked grim. "Unfortunately, there have been several incidents in the past where the police were called upon to apprehend Dante and her gang," he said. "The resources she has at her disposal gives her quite an advantage. Involving the police again means more undue casualties."

"Joy," Roy sighed.

"What should we do?" Riza asked.

"Right now, my main priority is to keep my sons safe," Hohenheim said firmly. He glanced over at Envy, who now had his head lowered enough for his hair to hide his face. "Whatever it takes to do that, I will do it."

"Then are we going to fight?" Riza asked.

"That's the way it's sounding, isn't it?" Roy said. "But if you're right and Dante can handle the police without breaking a sweat, we're no match for her and her gang. What else is there? Who in their right mind would help us?"

For a moment, no one moved. Even the air seemed to still. But Edward was absorbed with staring at his brother's face. He remembered that round, chubby face, the one he liked to hit sometimes. Those big brown eyes, that bronze hair. And now, here it was, here _he _was, in the flesh. So grown-up. He'd lost all his baby fat.

The moment of stillness didn't last very long. Edward took a step forward, then another, then another, and suddenly he was rushing towards his brother. Al didn't stay still either, and ran to meet him. They met halfway and nearly smacked into each other.

Edward grabbed his brother and hugged him tightly, so tightly he almost feared breaking the younger boy's back. "Al!" he exclaimed. "Oh my God! I thought you were _dead_!"

Alphonse had an equally tight hold on Edward. "Brother, I don't believe it. Brother," he was saying into Ed's hair. He was shocked into whispers.

But how? There weren't any burns on Alphonse's face. No sign of artificial limbs. It was as if Alphonse hadn't been in the car, hadn't been caught in the blast. But Edward had _seen _him climb into the car. He had crawled over the driver's seat to get something out of the glove compartment. Trisha had climbed in after him.

"How?" Edward exclaimed. "How? I thought you were dead. My God, Al, I thought you were dead!"

Al had given up on words and was merely hugging Edward. Neither one was willing to let go.

Finally, Edward realized that he was being hugged to the extent that his lungs were having trouble functioning. "Al...I can't breathe," he wheezed.

"Oh! Sorry, Brother!" Al let go and stepped back. There were tears shining in his eyes, but his face was lit up with pure joy. "I just...I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again."

"You're telling _me_?" Edward exclaimed. "I saw you get blown up in the car! How did you get away?"

Alphonse rubbed the back of his head. "I opened the passenger door and climbed out!" he exclaimed. "I was kind of chasing after something. A toy, I think. After that, I don't remember myself. But Mom knows." He seemed to realize that his jacket was being pulled on rather violently, and turned to look down at Roth.

"Are you telling me _this _is your Ed?" Roth exclaimed. "I thought you said he was blond!"

"I dyed my hair," Edward said absently, still staring at his brother and taking in every detail of the other's face. Nope, not a single burn mark anywhere.

"Who would have thought after all these years, we would just run into each other!" Alphonse exclaimed, beaming. "Brother, you have to come and meet Mom! She can tell you what happened."

Edward nodded. "Well, I was supposed to be walking Winry home," he said.

Winry, glad to be remembered, nodded.

"You don't mind if I borrow him, do you?" Alphonse asked her. "I mean, I haven't seen him in over ten years, and I--"

"Of course!" Winry exclaimed. "Like I would interrupt your reunion! I can walk the rest of the way home--don't worry about it!"

"Thank you!" Alphonse said, bowing politely. He then turned back to Edward and hugged him again. "Sorry if you can't breathe," he said to him, "but I'm just so happy to see you!"

Roth bounced around him. "Mom's sure gonna be glad to see you!" he said. "Maybe she'll even forget to punish me!"

After seeing Winry to her door, Edward, Alphonse, and Roth headed to the Curtis home. Alphonse pulled out a house key, but he hadn't even gotten it into the keyhole when the knob turned and the door opened, revealing one of the biggest, scariest-looking men Edward had ever seen. The man loomed over them and glowered down, like he planned to stomp them into bits.

Edward had to resist the urge to hide behind his brother.

"Hi, Dad!" Alphonse piped up cheerfully, and Edward nearly fell over from shock. "Where's Mom?"

"She's in the back, sharpening a knife," the mountain of man rumbled threateningly.

Alphonse nodded, then grabbed Ed by the sleeve. "Come on," he said, pulling him into the house. Edward flinched as he passed the imposing man. Roth tried to follow, but the man collared him. "Not so fast," he boomed. "You're in trouble, young man."

"Awh!" Roth whined.

"Don't mind Dad," Alphonse said cheerfully, pulling Edward down a wood-floored hall. "He looks really scary, but he's just a big teddy bear."

Edward swallowed. "Um, sure," he said.

As they got closer to the back of the house, Edward could hear the sound of metal being scraped against metal, like someone was indeed sharpening a knife. "Mom and Dad own a butcher shop," Alphonse explained, stopping in front of the door the sound came from behind. A drawing of a chibi head with dreadlocks grinning and giving the peace sign hung over a plaque that said _Izumi's workshop--Enter at your Own Risk! _on the door.

Alphonse knocked on the door, and the whining noises stopped. "Mom? It's me!" Alphonse called through the door.

Silence. Edward feared the door would open and reveal some huge, scary woman brandishing several sharp, pointy things, who would stab her son in the throat to welcome him home. There was the sound of a safety chain being pulled back, and then the knob turned.

A rather ordinary-looking woman with long black dreadlocks pulled up high on her head stood before them. She had dark eyes, a frown on her face, and was wearing a "Kick the Cook" apron over a long-tailed white shirt and black capris. It must have been Izumi, as it was her workshop. Edward saw the incredibly sharp-looking knife in her hand and had to once again resist the urge to hide behind the his brother.

The woman's face suddenly split into a smile. "Welcome back!" she said cheerfully. "I trust you rounded up my little delinquent?"

Alphonse nodded. "I think Dad's going to take care of it," he said.

"Good," the woman said. She then noticed Edward. "Who's this? A new friend?"

"No, Mom." Alphonse beamed and stepped aside to present Edward. "This is my older brother, Edward. Roth found him!"

Izumi's brows raised as she examined Edward from head to foot. "Edward, hmm?" she said. She motioned with the knife, and Edward gulped. "Come over here."

Not wanting to be skewered, Edward obeyed and tentatively stepped closer. Izumi took hold of his chin and tilted his face, examining it from all sides. "He looks good," she finally assessed. She gave him a slap on the back that nearly paralyzed him. "I'm glad you've found each other. Are you living here?"

Alphonse turned to Edward. "That's right! Where are you living, Brother?"

Edward had to catch his breath before he could answer. "Um...right now...I guess in the Basque Estates, with Dad. And some other people."

"Oh, I want to go see Father, too!" Alphonse said. "Did you guys move there recently?"

"That's...a long story," Edward said. "First, I want to hear what happened after you escaped from the car before it blew up."

"The explanation we came up with is that the blast tossed him into a tree," Izumi explained. "I found him unconscious in the tree about a day after the incident. It seemed as though no one had thought to search for him, all assuming he had died."

Edward looked over at his brother again, and Alphonse nodded.

Izumi held up a finger. "I took him to the hospital. When he woke up three days later, four days after the incident, he had lost his memory. I had no idea what his family's name was, or how to reach them. At that point I didn't realize that it was his family whose car had exploded. I had no one to contact, and no way to contact them. So I decided to take care of Alphonse."

"Eventually I got my memory back," Alphonse jumped in, "but by the time that happened, you and Dad had moved and changed numbers. We've been trying to track you down ever since."

"Dad's been using a bunch of different aliases," Edward said, "and I was...well, that doesn't matter. What does is that you're not dead." He hugged Alphonse again.

* * *

"Know what happened?" 

Riza looked up when she realized Envy was addressing her. "What happened when?" she asked, glancing at the entrance to the kitchen. Roy and Hohenheim had already left to do something man-like in the backyard.

Envy was still looking down at his lap. His forest green hair trailed on the surface of the kitchen island and in his lap. "When I first met Pride," he said without looking up.

"His name is Edward," Riza corrected. She rested her folded arms on the island. "What happened?"

"I think he really was going to kill himself." Envy leaned forward and rested the side of his head on the island, his hair spilling around his face. "He looked so sad, like his whole world had fallen apart. Well, I guess it had. I felt sorry for him when I first heard what happened. I asked Mother if she would let me go look for him. She agreed, and off I went. I planned to rescue him from the harsh cruelties of the world, shelter him inside the family."

Riza watched his head intently, wondering why he was telling her this, but making not a move to stop him.

"I figured it was my duty, as a big brother," Envy said. "Man, he looked pathetic. Like he hadn't eaten in days, or weeks, or something. I was mad at the bastard for not taking care of him."

Riza assumed "the bastard" was Hohenheim.

"So, I said to myself, I'd do it. I'd be the hero and save him from the world. I'd bring him to Mother and give him a new family."

* * *

"When was the last time you cut your hair?" Envy asked.

Edward slowly shrugged. His shoulders were so bony, just like the rest of him. "I don't know." His hair, halfway between neck and shoulder, was dirty and looked like it had been trimmed with a banana.

"Well, whatever," Envy said, running a comb through the blond strands. "I'll cut it for you later. Right now, you're going to go meet Mother."

Edward turned slightly, so he could glance at Envy out of the corner of his eye. "Who...who's this 'Mother' you keep talking about?" he asked.

"Her name is Dante," Envy explained, pulling a tie off of one of his boredom braids(1) to wrap around the ends of Edward's hair. "She runs our family. Everyone calls her either Lady Dante or Mother." He finished Edward's hair and turned the boy around to cuff his overly long sweatshirt sleeves. "She'll decide whether or not you can stay with me."

Edward flinched. "You're not going to leave me?" he said, sounding desperately scared.

Envy smiled at him. "'Course not. I seriously doubt Mother would turn you away. And even if she did, which is highly unlikely, I'd find a way to convince her."

Edward seemed to relax a bit at that. "Okay," he said.

After he finished making Edward vaguely presentable, Envy stood up and offered a hand. "Come on," he said.

Edward took the offered hand and let himself be led out of the room.

* * *

A noise made Envy's head lift from the table, and he glared accusingly at the entrance to the kitchen. Riza glared at it also, not wanting anything to interrupt Envy's story. 

However, no one showed up. Riza let out a breath and shifted back into place. "So what happened after that?" she asked.

Envy crossed his arms on the island and rested his chin on them. He seemed to be done talking. Riza looked down into her empty coffee mug, disappointed that the story was over.

"We went to see Mother," Envy abruptly started back up. Riza glanced over at him quickly, but he had closed his eyes. "I knew exactly where she'd be, because she didn't move around a lot. She stayed in convenient places for us to reach her."

* * *

"This is it," Envy said, gesturing towards the large double doors they stood in front of.

Beside him, Edward swallowed. "Is this...'Lady Dante' nice?" he asked nervously.

"Oh, yeah, she's fine," Envy said. "Sometimes she has a temper, but don't worry. She'll be nice to you." He reached out a hand and pushed open the double doors. They opened with a creak, and Envy felt's Edward's grip on his hand tighten.

The tea room was massive, but Envy was used to it. He tried to imagine what it might look like to Edward: a huge room with a ceiling practically miles away. Floor-to-ceiling windows covered the left and right walls. A huge chandelier hung from a long golden chain attached to the ceiling. In the direct center of the huge room, a small, round white table with matching chairs was set up. In one of the chairs sat Mother herself, with a steaming teacup in front of her.

Mother looked up when the door opened. She smiled. "You're back," she said, standing. Her eyes fell on Ed, who moved a little closer to Envy. "And this must be Edward." She walked towards them and knelt down to be at Edward's eye level. "You can call me Mother."

* * *

"That meant he was in," Envy mumbled. "No bones about it. Eventually Mother coined him Pride, and he became a Chosen. There was some resentment from other Chosen because he didn't have to work for his position. Particularly from that asswipe Greed." 

_And it all went downhill from there, _Riza thought. "Why would you tell me this?" she asked Envy.

"Well, since you're so damn persistent about solving all our problems, I figured why not," Envy said.

Riza blinked.

"Besides, you might do some good for Pride after all."

"It's Edward," Riza corrected.

"Whatever. Edward isn't my little brother. Pride is."

Riza was surprised. "How can you say that?" she said. "Whatever he goes by, he still needs you to be there for him."

Envy didn't answer.

There was the sound of a door slamming, and then Edward yelled, "I'M BACK!"

Riza got up from the kitchen island and wandered out in the foyer to greet him. There, she was surprised to find a beaming Edward standing with a younger boy who looked quite similar to him. Behind them both stood an imposing woman with dreadlocks.

"Who are these two?" Riza asked, blinking in surprise.

"Riza," Edward said, putting his hands on the younger boy's shoulders, "I want you to meet my brother, Alphonse. Al, this is Riza."

"Your brother?" Riza said in surprise. Hadn't Edward said his brother was dead? But she dutifully shook hands with the bronze-haired, brown-eyed boy.

"It's nice to meet you," Alphonse said politely. "Big brother couldn't stop talking about you on the way here."

Riza glanced at Edward, who shrugged.

The dreadlocked woman stepped forward. She looked to be the type not to cross. "I'm Izumi Curtis," she said, extending a hand. "Alphonse's adoptive mother."

Riza shook hands with her also. "Nice to meet you," she said.

"Likewise. I hear you've been the one taking care of Edward the past month or so."

"Yes, that's right."

"You have my thanks. We've been searching for Alphonse's family for years."

Riza gave Edward a look that said he would need to explain what was going on later.

"Why don't you all come into the kitchen?" Riza suggested. "Envy's still there, I think."

"Envy? Who's that?" Alphonse asked Edward.

"Um...that's another long story," Edward said. "The short version is, he's our half-brother."

"Really? How come I've never met him?"

"Another long story."

"Big brother, I hope you plan on telling me all these long stories at some point! There's at least five or six I'd like to hear," Al said.

Edward nodded, though he looked kind of uncomfortable. "Yeah, of course."

Izumi caught up with Riza, who was heading back to the kitchen, and fell in step with her. "How long have you known the Elrics?" she asked. At Riza's confused look, she elaborated. "That's Edward and Alphonse's last name."

"Oh. Well, not long at all," Riza said. "I've known Edward about as long as I've been taking care of him. I've had a friendly acquaintance with Hohenheim...er, Elric, for a few years. He's my husband's boss. I didn't know the two were related until last night, though."

"It sounds like another long story," Izumi surmised. "I'll wager an interesting one. I certainly look forward to hearing it."

Riza nodded. "Then I should probably find the men, and we can all meet up in the kitchen. You should at least know what's going on, in case you need to take Alphonse away to protect him."

Izumi's dark eyes narrowed. "I _definitely _want to hear this," she said.

* * *

Well, the latest chapter comes to a close. I hope you enjoyed. 

More stuff is coming up. Eventually we'll get to the chapters with lots of fighting, biting, cussing, fussing, banging, haranguing, you get it. See ya then!


	10. More Allies

Hey, all. I've got to tell you first, sorry about the delay. I had two exams and a presentation to get ready for, plus work, so I was swamped and exhausted the past few days. Updates may lag just a little while I try to figure out how to balance work, classes, and hobbies, so please bear with me. I promise I won't ever drop the story, and I'll tell you in advance if there'll be a delay between chapter whenever I can.

Anyway, thanks to **Bar-Ohki, Dark Reborn, Renneh, Your Favorite Plushie, Phantom of the Pie, Katty, Guardian Angel of Wolves, Atemu'sLotus, **and **Koinu-chan** for reviewing. Responding-type things are below:

Renneh: No, it's crazier than poo! Maybe Envy will end up being a nice guy...? (grimaces at the thought) Nah, he's a bad boy. Ah man, now I'm going to be wondering what happens in the manga all night! Must get hands on more manga...  
**YoFavPlush: **Yep, Izumi has arrived. And surprises are often good things. Not only will there be that stuff, there'll be action, adventure, humor, laughter, shoot-em-ups, beat-em-ups, and--gasp--TEARS!  
**PhantomoPie: **EdxWin? Hmm, I don't know. I'll have to take a poll!  
**Katty: **I know! I was going to say a spoon, but I decided something more random would be better, Hence, banana! Yay Izumi!  
**Guardian Angel: **I'll bet you're right!  
**Atemu: **Really? I like Izumi better, but Sig fans are cool! Hopefully Envy gets better at the brother stuff, eh?  
**K-c: **Oh. That makes me sad. I'll really miss you! 

And now, for a little cussing, fussing, fighting, biting...you get it. Oh, and check out the question after the chapter--it's very important! I need your input!

* * *

10: More Allies

Riza frowned as she got her husband's voice mail again. Where was that man? Edward, Alphonse, and Izumi had gone on to the kitchen while Riza went to get Hohenheim and Roy. Envy had performed a vanishing act and left the kitchen before they arrived.

"_Greetings. You've reached Roy Mustang's cell phone. I'm not able to pick up at the moment, but leave a message and I'll get back to you._" _Click_. "Roy, it's your wife again. Wherever you and Mr. Clair have gone, I'd appreciate you calling and letting me know. If you're going to take the van and go somewhere, you could at least clue me in on what's happening. I don't appreciate being kept out of the loop, Roy. Call me back."

Riza snapped her cell phone shut and slid it back in its holster. When she had gone to search for them in the garage, she had found that the van they had escaped in last night was gone. So apparently Roy and Hohenheim had gone somewhere without telling her, something she did not appreciate. If she ever got a hold of her husband, he'd get a piece of her mind.

With a sigh, Riza started back to the kitchen. It irked her when men did that sort of thing. Like she wasn't capable of helping them with whatever it was. She had just found her way back to the first floor when her phone rang. She checked the caller ID.

It was Roy.

Riza flipped it open and put it to her ear. "Roy, where the hell are you?" she asked calmly. "Do you know how long I--"

"_Sorry, honey,_" Roy's voice said. "_Mr. Elric and I just took the van out to get the license plates wiped. Then we were thinking of seeing Trisha. Remember her, honey? I know you might not want to, but how else will I get you out of the house, hmm? You're always there._"

Riza frowned, not understanding why Roy was talking so strangely, and calling her "honey". "Roy, I--"

"_Don't argue. You need some time out of the house. Why not round up the folks?_"

"Why should I?" Riza asked, genuinely confused.

"_I knew it. You DON'T want to see Trisha. Oh, honey, you're so silly. It's why I love you. Don't be long._" Then he hung up.

Riza pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it as the call's length flashed on the cell phone's screen. What was up with Roy? He usually never used pet names unless he wanted her to do something. And who was Trisha? Riza didn't know any Trisha.

Suddenly something he had said made her freeze. How had he known Hohenheim's last name? He had always known his boss as "Mr. Clair", and so had Riza until about an hour ago.

She headed for the kitchen, something about the conversation disturbing her. It was Trisha, that's what it was. Was Roy trying to tell her something? Something he couldn't come right out and tell her? But why would that be?

Unless...

Had they been found?

Riza halted, then broke into a run. It suddenly came tumbling back. Trisha! That was the name of Hohenheim's wife! And she was dead. By "visit Trisha" Roy must have been saying his and Hohenheim's lives were in danger. He was trying to tell her to get everyone out of the house, or they'd all be dead!

This is bad news.

* * *

When Riza had left, Envy had left also, not really wanting to see Pride at the moment. He slowly, painfully went back upstairs to the room he and Pride shared, still shaken from the morning's events.

How had this happened? How had the structure he had had so much faith in suddenly become this...almost, monstrosity? Everything he knew, everything he believed in, it was being broken. Smashed, wrecked, torn apart, killed, chopped into pieces.

Envy sat on the bed he had slept in last night, and put his face in his hands. Now what could he do? He couldn't go back to Mother; she wanted him dead. Greed and Lust were looking for him now. He wasn't safe anywhere, except for with these people he hated.

And his brother. His brother was here. Envy's back tensed. But could he really be trusted? After all, this whole mess was mainly his fault, because of his desire to change his life.

But...no. That isn't fair. I can't blame him. Then who can I blame?

After sitting there for what seemed like hours, Envy dragged himself to his feet and checked the clock on the wall. It was just after noon. His violet eyes strayed over to the dresser pushed up against the wall. Maybe there were some clothes in there he could change into. He mourned the loss of his usual attire, and prayed for something black as he walked over to the dresser, Anything black, short of, like, a skirt, would do fine.

Twenty minutes later, Envy, dressed in a long-sleeved button-up shirt and dress pants, both black and a few sizes too big, came back down the stairs, heading in the direction of the kitchen. He heard voices inside and froze a few steps out of the doorway. Instinct kicked in and he listened, silently.

"...was about the time Greed found me," Pride was saying. "Unfortunately, he's a better fighter than me. He kicked my ass. The last thing I remember was getting tossed out of a window. I guess that's when Riza found me. I woke up in her and Roy's house a few days later."

"Hmm. And you say that was a month ago?" a woman's voice said.

There was a moment's silence, and Envy silently crept up a little closer to the door, so he could see what was going on. Pride, his hair pulled into an unusually neat braid, was nodding. He sat across the breakfast table from a woman with black dreadlocks and a bronze-haired boy in what looked like a school uniform.

"How awful," the boy said, looking worried. "Why didn't you go back to Father?"

"Even if I had wanted to, which at that point I didn't, Dad had moved by then," Pride replied.

"That doesn't explain why you're all under the same roof now," the woman said.

"Last night, two other members of the, uh...gang, Lust and Greed, attacked us at Roy and Riza's house. We fled here."

"They don't know you're here, do they?" the boy said fearfully.

Pride shook his head. "No, Al. We're safe here, for now, anyway." Then his eyes suddenly turned directly to Envy.

Crap. Envy turned his head and stared at the wall. "There you are," Pride said. 

"Here I am," Envy said to the wall.

"And you are?" the woman asked.

Envy turned back to the group, which now had its entire focus on him. He absently crossed his arms, as if to shield himself from their gazes. "Envy," he mumbled, turning to look at the other wall.

"So you're our half-brother!" Envy's eyes snapped back to the boy, who had now stood and had a welcoming smile on his face. "I'm Alphonse, Ed's younger brother. It's nice to meet you."

"You're alive?" Envy said bluntly, his brows raised in surprise.

The boy, or Alphonse, nodded. "Brother was telling us about you and your gang," he said.

Envy opened his mouth to retort that it wasn't a gang, but he sighed and let it go. "So why're you here?" he asked.

"I met him while I was taking Winry home," Pride explained. "He wanted to come see Dad, but since Dad's not around, we're kind of catching up. Riza went to go find Dad and Roy."

"Why don't you sit down with us?" Alphonse invited politely.

Envy's brows furrowed as he examined the table and its occupants. At the moment, there didn't seem to be any good reason to say no. "I guess," he finally conceded, sitting down in the chair farthest from all three.

Alphonse sat back down next to the woman. "So, um, Envy, you've been taking care of Brother the past few years, right?"

Envy shrugged.

"Can you tell me if--"

Riza suddenly burst into the dining room, cellphone clutched in one hand, eyes flashing urgency. "Everyone, we need to leave the house," she said.

"Why? What's wrong?" Pride asked, already rising from his seat.

"I think that the gang might have captured Roy and Mr. Elric."

"What?!"

The woman and Alphonse rose also. Envy got up as well, a cold feeling of dread crawling down his spine. "They called?" he asked.

"Yes. Roy told me in code that we need to get out of here."

"Then they must have traced the call to find us," Envy mused.

"Well, then, let's get out of here!" Pride exclaimed.

Riza nodded. "Roy and Mr. Elric took the van, so we need to take another car."

Pride and Envy exchanged a glance. They had observed the garage on the way in. "But he's only got that crammed sports car," Envy pointed out.

"Can I borrow your phone?" the woman asked Riza, extending a hand.

"Who will you call, Izumi?" Riza asked as she handed it over.

"My husband. I'll have him bring the van," the woman, or Izumi, stated as she dialed.

Pride looked worried. "Will he get here before they do?" he asked. "Depending on where they are, they could be here in ten minutes."

"Oh, he'll be here," Izumi said, putting the phone to her ear. "Sig, dear, it's me. You know where I am. Bring the van, immediately. Yes, thanks honey." She hung up and handed the phone back to Riza. "We can leave now and meet him in the field between estates."

Riza nodded. "Envy, Edward. Get ready quickly; we're leaving as soon as we can."

* * *

Edward found several racks of clothes hanging in the guest closet. He searched mainly for jackets and shoes and tossed those in a duffel bag he had found; hats and pants came next. He found two pairs of sneakers that he and Envy could both fit and threw his into the bag. "Envy!"

Envy was leaning against the doorframe, trying to flex the soreness out of his legs. "Yeah?"

"Here, shoes." Edward tossed them in Envy's direction, and they fell at his feet. Envy wordlessly put them on, tying the laces extra tight so the shoes didn't slip off.

Edward zipped up the duffel bag once he had finished raiding the closet and slung the strap over his head, settling the bag on his hip. He hurried to Envy's side. "Ready? Let's go."

Once again, Envy let Edward support him as they hurried downstairs to join the others. Al was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, looking up. "That was fast, Brother," he said.

"Sometimes our lives depended on being fast," Edward replied as he towed Envy to the front door. "Could you take this bag?"

"Of course!" Alphonse took the duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Mom and Miss Riza are waiting for us in the foyer."

Edward nodded and shifted so he better supported Envy. "Okay, let's go." He let Alphonse walk ahead of them to the foyer.

As Alphonse had said, Izumi and Riza were ready and waiting in the foyer. Riza had clipped her hair up and changed to a man's red polo shirt, jeans, and sneakers, and she held a paper bag in her hand. "All right, let's go," she said, opening the front door.

When they stepped outside, Edward instantly scanned the area to ensure they weren't being watched. But no one was around, as far as he could see. He quietly followed the others while keeping an ear out for anything suspicious. They cut across a few yards and through the woods.

"If we go this way," Izumi said, pointing in a direction where the trees seemed to thin out, "the woods will end at a field. That's where Sig will meet us with the van."

Riza nodded. "We'll--"

Envy suddenly perked up and craned his neck to look over Edward's head, back in the direction of the house. "Shh," Edward instantly said, recognizing the look.

Riza fell silent, and no one moved.

"It's them," Envy whispered.

Edward cocked an ear, and soon, he heard it too--the nearly silent sound of an engine. Slowly, he took Envy's arm off his shoulder. He motioned for everyone to stay put, and silently left the group, crossing between trees, heading back to Hohenheim's house. The group soon faded from sight, all of them wisely staying quiet.

Once he was close enough to see and hear, Edward crouched behind two bushes and peered through the small space between them. A black car had pulled up into the side yard. Greed was leaning against the car, arms crossed, bobbing his head to some imaginary tune. The bushes blocked anything but the area immediately around Greed, who suddenly lifted his head. Edward's hands clenched into fists.

"Well?" Greed said, his head turned towards someone Edward couldn't see.

"It appears to be empty," Lust's voice said.

Greed snorted. "Somehow that sarcastic bastard must've tipped them off to get away. Now we've got to start all over."

"On the contrary, Greed. It's likely they'll try and rescue the men," Lust said, walking into Edward's line of vision. "With Pride and Envy knowing what we're capable of, I doubt they'll avoid confrontation for long."

Edward felt his muscles tense, but he didn't make a move.

"You think they're still here?" Greed asked, giving a casual look-around. Edward instinctively shifted a little closer to the cover of the bushes.

Lust shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. If so..."

Edward's brows furrowed. If so, what?

An audible click behind him made Edward freeze. _No. Oh no. _He slowly turned, dread on his face.

"Well, hello, Pride." A man with long dark hair in a low ponytail, dressed entirely in black, stood behind him, pointing a gun between Edward's shoulder blades. "Long time no see, eh?"

Edward simply stared, mentally smacking himself for not being more cautious.

"What? Don't you remember your old pal Kimbley?"

"No," Edward said honestly.

"I'm hurt," Kimbley said. "In fact, I'm so hurt I feel like tearing off one of your arms."

Edward swallowed. Now he remembered. Kimbley was the destructive weapons specialist. In other words, he knew the most about blowing stuff up. And most of his thoughts and statements were violence-themed.

"Come on, get up," Kimbley said, poking Edward in the back with the gun. "And let's see those hands."

Resignedly, Edward raised his hands and stood. "Look who I found!" Kimbley called out to Lust and Greed, who turned i his direction. "Start walking, Pride."

Edward forced himself to walk out of the forest, hating the feel of the gun pressed to his back. Greed, seeing him, grinned horribly and pushed himself off the car, standing upright. "Well, well," he said, adjusting his sunglasses. "What's up, Pridey?"

Edward said nothing and merely glared at him.

"You're such a fool, Pride," Lust commented, tossing back some of her dark wavy hair. "Did you really think you could hide from us? Your brains have been scrambled if you've forgotten the resources of the family."

"Now, why don't you be a good kid and tell us where that gun-crazy lady is," Greed said. "Is she in the woods too? Should we search?"

"You're wasting your time," Edward spat, hoping that the others had had the sense to leave without him.

Greed arched an eyebrow. "Oh are we? Somehow I doubt she'd run off without you, since you're the reason she's even on our list."

Edward didn't answer.

Greed shook his head, still grinning. "Ah, so predictable. Why don't you hop in the car while we find her, eh?"

Lust opened her mouth to add something, but the sound of an engine approaching caught their attention. They turned towards the forest, the direction it was coming from.

At that exact moment, a silver minivan with a _Mom's Taxi _license plate on the front burst through some bushes. It barreled towards where everyone and the car was standing. All four dived out of the way as the van smashed straight into the black car.

"What the hell!" Greed exclaimed, reaching for his gun, which had fallen out of his holster.

Kimbley stood up and pointed his gun at the van. The back sliding door opened, and Izumi leapt out. Sailing through the air, she landed a double kick on Kimbley, her heels connecting heavily with his shoulders and knocking him to the ground. Edward jumped up and sprinted for the van.

"Stop right there!" Lust yelled at him, pointing her gun. Edward faltered for a second. Izumi was in the process of getting Greed's gun away from him. Was Edward doomed?

Alphonse suddenly leapt out of the van, much in the same way his mother had, and landed the same type of double kick on Lust's shoulders. She crumpled to the ground, dropping her gun, and Alphonse solidly kicked it away. "Come on, Brother!" he exclaimed.

Edward wasted no time in jumping into the van. Alphonse climbed in after him, and Izumi jumped on, standing on the step and holding onto the roof with one hand. Riza, who was driving, threw the van into reverse and peeled out into the street. When she screeched to a halt to switch gears, Izumi climbed in and yanked the sliding door shut. Riza drove off with a screeching of tires.

"Are you okay?" Alphonse asked, helping Edward get upright in his seat. "Did they hurt you?"

"No, I'm all right," Edward said.

"Sorry it took so long to come get you," Riza said as she drove for the entrance to the Basque Estates. "I had to be convinced we weren't leaving you behind when we went to get the van."

Izumi buckled her seatbelt and dropped a gun on the seat, making both Edward and Alphonse start. "This is war," she reminded them. "One of us knows how to use guns, plus it's one less for the enemy. Remember that instead of just kicking it away, Alphonse."

"Yes ma'am," Alphonse said instantly.

"Were those people Lust and Greed?" Izumi asked Edward.

He nodded. "The guy with the gun on me is named Kimbley." He glanced over worriedly at Alphonse. "Now they know there's more of us to come after."

"As long as you're okay, Brother, that's what matters to me," Alphonse said firmly.

Edward's face split into a smile, which quickly vanished. "Where's Envy?"

Alphonse pointed to the back, and Edward looked over the bench. Envy was lying down on the seats, dutifully buckled in, one arm over his eyes. "Envy, you okay?" Edward said softly.

Envy nodded.

"So where are we going?" Riza asked from the driver's seat.

Edward turned back around, realizing that everyone was looking to him for the answer. To be honest, he knew of no family connections, or gang connections, in this area. And he really didn't want to drag any _more _people into this mess.

But he did have one idea.

"Okay, keep going straight until we get to the highway," he instructed.

Riza nodded and applied more gas.

* * *

IMPORTANT QUESTION: Would you like to have EdxWin? A couple of people have mentioned it, and I don't mind, but only if you're for it! Please tell me yes or no, and quickly!

(Note that any romance will be a side thing, kind of like the RoyxRiza. Thanks a bunches!)


	11. The Rescue Operation

Hello, everyone. Well, the votes are in, and the majority of you had a variant of "Yes to EdxWin, please!" So, yeah, we're gonna do it. I do know that some of you voted no to EdxWin, and I really hope you won't stop reading. (turns on the puppy eyes) Please stick with us? I promise it'll be as prevalent as the RoyxRiza. Maybe one or two major fluffy scenes, and then scatter the rest around the main plot. Thanks to everyone who voted! I really appreciate it.

Anyway, now that I'm done begging (gets up off of knees) it's time to thank **Renneh, Guardian Angel of Wolves, Phantom of the Pie, YourFavoritePlushie, Tia Ordona, Chibi Hayaku Hashiru, Houran, Phantom SunsSong, jenelric, Assena, ElricKeyblade, TenshiElric, Bar-Ohki, Furringeon, Tinkerbelle TB, Katty, **and **lost cause** for reviewing. And respond to what needs to be responded to in a responding manner:

Renneh: I'm glad the chapter filled you with such emotion! I was the same way when I was proofreading, even though I wrote it...whatever works! And now I'm going to search the web for hours on end looking for manga...I want to read some!  
**Guardian Angel: **Yes, it's an AU day when you start feeling sorry for Envy. And no, I think you're right--however, in the heat of the moment, when the bad guys are bearing down on you, sometimes you've just GOT to start making out, or so I hear.  
**YoFavPlush: **Yes, so do I. And thank you so much!  
**Houran: **I am too, and since I'm not a big romance-y person, it definitely will be. And wait until you see what's going to happen...hmm.  
**jenelric: **Hi again! You'll see what those stupid men have done...  
**Assena: **You make a really good point. I'm going to have to see what I can do about that!  
**ElricKeyblade: **(lays a bunch on) But the point is it'll be there!  
**TinkerbelleTB: **Thank you so very much! I strive for greatness...And trust me on this--you haven't seen the last of Roth! 

So now, Chapter 11. Let's hit 100 reviews, shall we?

* * *

11: The Rescue Operation

"Right here?" Riza questioned.

"Yeah. Park in front of that tree."

Riza pulled the car over and parked next to the tree. Edward undid his seatbelt. "I'd better go talk to her first," he said. "I don't know for sure if she'll help us."

Izumi opened the sliding door and climbed out to make way for Edward. He climbed out too. "I'll be right back," he said. He started up the driveway as Izumi got back in and closed the door.

"Whose house is this?" Alphonse wondered aloud.

Riza shrugged.

"This is a nice neighborhood, and the yards are massive," Izumi observed, chin in her hand. "Plus there's a neighborhood watch program. I wonder."

Envy sat up in the backseat and looked out the window. "Do you know who we're here to see?" Riza asked him.

"I have no idea."

Meanwhile, Edward had finally made it up the long driveway to the brick, two-story near-mansion. He rang the doorbell and waited. A camera above the door swiveled to look at him, and he looked up.

"It's me," Edward said. "Edward. Me and my friends need your help."

Silence.

"Please open the door," Edward pleaded. "My dad and a friend of mine are being held hostage by the gang, and they're after us."

More silence. Edward looked down at his feet, then back up at the camera. "If you're in there, please help me. I'm trying to separate myself from the gang. Envy is too. Please help us."

The door opened, and one eye looked out. Edward looked down at the face hiding behind the door.

"Edward?"

"Yeah, that's what I go by now. I'm not Pride anymore."

The door opened more to reveal a woman with long, dark brown hair and green eyes sitting in a wheelchair. "I'm sorry," she said, holding out her arms. "I wasn't sure if you were trying to trap me. I shouldn't have left you out here so long."

Edward hugged the woman. "It's okay, Miss Douglas," he said.

"_Juliet_. You don't need to be formal," she said with a smile. "Now where are these friends of yours you say need help?"

"Down there, in the van behind the tree." Edward pointed.

"Well, bring them in. What are you waiting for?"

* * *

"When Edward said 'friends' I didn't expect so many," Juliet Douglas said as she held open the door. "Nevertheless, every one of you is welcome."

"Thank you," Riza said, shaking her hand.

"You have a really nice house," Alphonse said politely.

"It belonged to my mother," Juliet said as Izumi came through the door with Envy on her back. "She passed it on to me in her will."

Edward looked around the spacious foyer. "So this is where you went," he said. "I'm glad it worked out so well for you, Juliet."

"In most cases," Juliet said, patting the arm of her wheelchair.

"At least you didn't die," Edward countered.

Juliet nodded and raised a finger. "There's always that."

"What do you mean? What happened to you?" Riza asked.

"I used to be Sloth," Juliet explained. "But then I decided to leave the gang. Of course, Dante wouldn't accept that, and she sent some of her men to ambush me. I got away with my life, but in the attack I was shot and paralyzed from the waist down. Since then, I've been able to distance myself from them." She smiled at Edward. "When I left, I wanted so terribly to take you with me. I'm glad you're finally making the right choice."

Edward ducked his head, blushing from the attention.

"And Envy," Juliet went on, turning to Envy, who had just been put back on his feet by Izumi, "what a surprise to see you here. You were the last person I would have thought would leave the gang."

Envy shrugged and looked away, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"This is quite the group you've got together," Juliet said to Edward. "Someday you'll have to tell me the story. But for now, there's more pressing matters. You say Hohenheim and another have been captured?"

Riza nodded. "The other is my husband, Roy. We're pretty sure it was Lust and Greed who captured them, and they had my husband call me so they could trace the call and find us."

Juliet nodded. "I remember that technique. How did you escape?"

"My husband was able to pass me a coded message that we were in danger," Riza said. "Then we managed to get away."

"Then you're either incredibly lucky or incredibly skilled," Juliet said, turning her chair around. "If you all could follow me..." She wheeled through the foyer and down a wide hall, the others following.

"Since I've worked with Lust and Greed several times, I've got a pretty good idea of where they'd keep your husband and Hohenheim," Juliet said as she wheeled down the hall. "Old habits die hard, so if I'm right, you should be able to storm the place and break them out. Of course, that will take a good deal of strategy and planning."

"It's a specific place?" Izumi questioned.

"Yes. A sort of prison specifically for the gang. There's small rooms to use as cells and guards and everything," Juliet said.

"I don't think I've ever been there," Edward said. "Envy, were you ever there?"

"A couple of times. Don't remember where it is, though," Envy answered.

Riza had her hand to her chin, deep in thought. "Do you know how they treat the prisoners?" she asked.

"If you're wondering whether or not they kill them, the answer is no," Juliet said. "Once captured, the prisoners are mostly ignored. Sometimes they're even forgotten. They'll both still be alive, and probably in good health."

Riza breathed a sigh of relief.

"When will we be able to strike?" Izumi asked.

"Depending on how quickly we can throw together a plan, we can be ready by tonight. Are any of you familiar with guns?"

Everyone looked at Riza. "I am," she said.

"Good. Great. That will help."

* * *

Roy found himself drumming his fingers on the metal sheet that served as a bed. Outside of his cozy cage, he could hear the guard shifting from foot to foot, as if bored. Maybe the boredom was a good sign. Maybe it meant that no one had passed along any jubilant news about catching Riza, Edward, and Envy. He hoped his urgent message hadn't been too heavily coded. Riza was a smart woman, and observant, too. Certainly she would have noticed his using Hohenheim's real name, and mentioning his dead wife?

Only, had she figured it out in time?

The sound of a lock being opened returned Roy to reality. He turned and looked at the door as it was opened, and the guard stood outside, pointing a gun in. "Get up and come with me," the guard snapped.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Roy said, standing and stretching. He stepped out of his cage, straightening his irreparably wrinkled dress shirt, and the guard prodded him down the hall and into another room.

This room looked like a conference room, with a huge circular table in the middle, large swivel chairs pushed underneath. Like every other room in this dismal building, it had no outside windows, only overhead lights, so Roy had no idea how much time had passed.

However, the room wasn't empty. As the guard prodded Roy down into the seat at the foot of the table, the swivel chair at the head turned to reveal what looked like a young woman with dark, sharp-cut hair and amethyst eyes. She was very pretty, and Roy had to remind himself of the situation he was in. "Hello, Roy Mustang," she said, placing her folded hands atop the table.

Roy eyed her warily. "And you are...?"

"Simply, Dante," the woman said. Warning bells rang like crazy in Roy's head.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Roy asked.

Dante smiled, and it was quite the creepy smile. Guard With Gun hadn't left, and he still pointed it menacingly in Roy's direction. "I was just about to call your wife," she said, causing Roy to start, "and I thought you might like to speak with her."

"Oh really?" Roy said.

Dante nodded and gestured to the shiny black contraption in front of her. "Yes." She hit a button on the contraption, and the quiet sound of a phone ringing filled the room. Roy realized it was a conference phone and gripped the seats of his chair. Were they going to track down the others again?

The phone rang once, twice, three times, then it was picked up. "_Hello?_" an unfamiliar boy's voice said.

"Yes, is this the number where Mrs. Riza Mustang may be reached?" Dante said, sounding oh-so-pleasant.

Silence. Roy stared at Dante, as if trying to burn her up with heat vision. She rested her elbows on the table and interlaced her fingers, smiling back at him.

The silence on the other end of the phone reigned. Then the boy's voice, very faint. "_It's for you. Some...woman._"

A few more beats of silence, then Riza's sharp voice came on the line. "_Who am I speaking to?_" She was in her scary office mode.

"An acquaintance of your husband's," Dante said pleasantly. "He's in the room right now, listening to our conversation. Aren't you, Roy?"

Roy said nothing. Guard With Gun poked him with the gun. "So it would appear," he said.

"_Are you all right, Roy?_" Riza asked him.

"Besides being thrown in a smelly cell and having a gun pointed at me, I'm having the time of my life," Roy answered, not wanting her to worry.

"Since I'm certain you're quite worried about him and Hohenheim, Mrs. Mustang, I've called to offer a deal," Dante went on.

A beat of silence. "_What are you offering?_" Riza asked sharply.

"I am willing to turn both gentlemen back over to you," Dante said, "providing you give me the boys in return."

Roy knew that Riza would never go for that.

"_You are entirely deranged if you think I would even consider such a thing,_" Riza said. Her tone hadn't changed, but Roy knew his wife. She was quite pissed and probably wanted to put a bullet between Dante's eyes.

"I would think about it, if I were you," Dante said. "It's not too terrible a deal. You value your husband's life, don't you?"

"_One life isn't more important than another. I will not doom two boys to save two men. I'm refusing._"

"Don't be so rash, Mrs. Mustang. Perhaps we can negotiate."

"_No. You're wasting your time, Dante._" The line clicked.

Dante's smile grew. "Very well. I wish them all well in the next life."

"You tracked them again," Roy spat.

"Of course, Mr. Mustang."

"They aren't fools. They won't fall for the same trick twice."

"I don't need them to. They're coming to _me_."

Roy paled.

* * *

After the little chat, Roy wasn't returned to his own cell, but in fact Hohenheim's. It was cramped enough with just one person, but with two there was barely enough room. Hohenheim let Roy have the metal-sheet-bed-thing and stood in the corner.

"I think my wife and the others are walking into a trap," Roy said.

"Are they coming to get us?" Hohenheim asked.

Roy nodded. "That's how it sounded. And that Dante knows. She'll probably have an ambush waiting for them."

Hohenheim looked grim. "If it's just the three of them, their safety is indeed in danger."

"I wish there was some way we could warn them," Roy sighed. "Instead we're stuck in this cell. You know, I'm beginning to think taking the van out by ourselves to have the plates wiped was a really bad idea."

"Not to dampen your mood, Roy, but _you _were the one who surrendered the second they surrounded the van."

"Well, they had _guns, _Mr. Cla--Elric. And I don't know about you, but having a body full of holes does not appeal to me."

"Well, you could have put up some kind of a _fight_."

"And get shot anyway? No thank you. I prefer hand-to-hand combat."

"Are we talking hand-to-hand as in using both hands to fight, or hand-to-hand as in using both hands to surrender?"

"Since we're in such a position, I can respond in the following way: shut up."

"How about you both shut up?" a new voice suddenly whispered.

Roy and Hohenheim both started and looked in the direction of the air vent, which was screwed shut. They could see nothing in the darkness behind the slats, but their ears hadn't deceived them both. "Who--" Hohenheim started.

"_Shh_! You stupid bastard."

It was Envy.

"Rescue?" Roy mouthed.

"Yeah. So somebody be ready to punch the guard's lights out." Suddenly, Dante's voice came out of the air vents. "Wha--? Where am I! Who's done this! Let me out of here!"

Roy and Hohenheim gaped at the air vent, but outside, the guard was noisily turning around. "Lady Dante?" he exclaimed through the door.

"Get me out of here!" Envy raged, doing a perfect imitation of Dante's voice. "How could you let those hooligans bring me in here!"

The guard outside was obviously an idiot. Roy and Hohenheim realized what Envy was doing and turned to the door as the guard frantically tried to unlock it. "I'm so sorry, Lady Dante, I didn't see them sneak you in, please forgive me..." he was rambling. He swung open the door, and Hohenheim barreled out, driving his shoulder into the guard's stomach. The guard gasped and passed out, and Hohenheim stepped over him.

"Keep going. We're waiting down the hall," Envy said.

Roy nodded and jumped over the guard's body. "Come on, it's jailbreak time," he said.

As if cued by his voice, there were sudden gunshots, muffled by the walls. Hohenheim and Roy hurried down the hall, coming to a door at the end. It was locked, and someone on the other side was trying to break it down. Hohenheim and Roy backed up a bit as the door splintered suddenly, revealing an unfamiliar woman with dark, dreadlocked hair and a fierce expression.

"Less gawking, more escaping," she ordered them.

* * *

Riza kept firing at the guards until she saw Izumi, Roy, and Hohenheim come barreling down the steel stairs. Then she fired at a support cable twice, breaking it, and the platform holding a pile of planks that it carried came crashing down near where the guards were taking cover, obscuring their vision. "Come on!" she yelled, waving frantically.

An air vent near her was kicked open, and Envy crawled out. "They've called reinforcements," he announced.

"Then let's go," Izumi said firmly. "The boys are waiting in the--"

Gunfire suddenly opened on them, and they dived out of the way, scattering. Riza stumbled and managed to half-roll behind a turned table. She scanned the area to see who was firing and saw an entire group of people coming into the entrance. Every other person in the group had a gun and was firing at them. Riza aimed carefully and took out three of the armed people with her first three shots. A small part of the table near her face exploded from a gunshot, and she ducked.

The continual pace of gunfire continued. Riza kept firing and ducking, and she, Izumi, Roy, and Hohenheim, who all had guns in hand now, were slowly picking off the advancing enemy line. The warehouse doors opened, and more people with more guns arrived.

Riza, who had been doing the most amount of shooting, ran her clip out first. She ducked behind the table, pulled a clip from her pocket, unloaded the empty clip, and shoved the new one in, all in less than three seconds. She was ready and firing again almost instantly. There were brief pauses in the continual pattern of gunfire that indicated empty clips being discarded and replaced.

The tiny walkie-talkie on her hip crackled. _"I'm moving," _Izumi said over the walkie-talkie.

Riza pushed the talk button on the side. "Got it." She let go and fired at a persistent man with what looked like a machine gun. A few more pieces of her table were bitten off by gunshots, and Riza knew her new clip wasn't going to last much longer.

Izumi suddenly leapt over the cluster of chairs she had been using as cover. Dodging all the flying bullets, she launched herself at one of the gunmen and knocked him down with a solid roundhouse kick. One of the unarmed men lunged at her, fists up, but she punched him in the stomach, and when he doubled over, cracked her elbow down on his neck. A third man and a woman tried to tag-team her, but Izumi caught the woman's punch and tossed her right over her shoulder, and used a sweep kick to knock the man on his back.

Riza saw one of the gunmen aim directly at Izumi and shot him in the back. She heard a click behind her and whirled, suddenly facing down the barrel of a gun. She couldn't raise her gun to defend herself in time, but just before the man pulled the trigger, a sudden kick out of nowhere connected with the side of his head and sent him flying into a pile of boxes. Riza stood up to see that it was Envy who had just saved her life. A man came up behind Envy, and Riza was just about to lift her gun when Envy elbowed the man sharply in the stomach and, without turning around, back-kicked the man into the same pile of boxes.

"You're welcome, NRA," Envy said.

"Thank you." Riza fired a shot into the next man that had come up behind Envy. "And you're welcome."

"Thanks."

Izumi's minivan burst through the doors, running over at least three gunmen. Once again, Edward was behind the wheel. Alphonse was in the passenger seat, and as they drove by at the speed of light, he reached out and punched a man who was in the process of trying to hit Izumi. Edward screeched to a halt, half-turning the van so it was parallel with the door.

"Can we go now?" Edward yelled as Alphonse opened the sliding door.

Riza and Envy dashed from behind the poor demolished table and into the van. A man tried to follow, but Envy kicked him where the sun doesn't shine, and Riza pistol-whipped the now terribly injured man, knocking him away. Roy jumped into the van next, moving to the back as Hohenheim followed. Finally Izumi got in the doorway, her arm bloody.

"Mom! What happened?" Alphonse exclaimed as Edward threw the car in reverse.

"Just a flesh wound, Alphonse," Izumi assured him, karate-chopping another person attempting to get in.

Edward peeled out of the warehouse backwards, running over a couple more people. Gunshots pinged off the car and cracked the windshield. Izumi still had the sliding door open as she clung to the side of the car, so Riza stuck her head and arm out and shot three of the gunmen. She got back in, and Izumi climbed in as well, slamming the sliding door shut. Edward kept going backwards until he reached an unpaved road, and then changed gears and floored it.

"I thought we discussed you not getting behind the wheel again, Edward," Hohenheim sighed from the middle bench.

"Well, I was the only one not going in who knew how to drive a car," Edward said matter-of-factly.

Alphonse twisted around in his seat to get a look at Hohenheim. "So _you're_ Hohenheim!" he said cheerfully. "You really haven't changed much!"

Hohenheim stared at Alphonse. "Oh! I'm sorry," Alphonse went on. "I'm Alphonse! Your youngest son! I know you probably thought I was dead, but I actually survived the car explosion. It's a really long story, and Mom--" he pointed at Izumi "--can probably explain better than I can, but I've been looking for you and Brother for years!"

"How is it possible?" Hohenheim said, sounding as though he'd heard that Earth was going to explode in six minutes. "Alphonse...I thought you were...you and your brother..."

"We can explain the whole thing back at Juliet's house," Riza said.

* * *

Tada. Chapter's done. I think I have an idea of how I want to do a certain something...it'll be good, promise. See you next time! 


	12. A Relenting Big Brother

You'll never guess what I added. Well...maybe you will. Parental!RizaEnvy. Muahahahaha. Authoress insanity, w00t. Envy's angsty scene in this chapter was inspired by the song "Let It All Out" by Relient K, which I listened to on a loop while writing.

So, moving along. Thanks to **Bar-Ohki, YourFavoritePlushie, Tenshi Elric, Renneh, Assena, jenelric, Guardian Angel of Wolves, Tia Ordona, Phantom of the Pie, Tinkerbelle TB, Katty, Houran, rose, **and **Clawdia** for reviewing. You people stop doubting Juliet!

And now, the next chapter, eh?

**

* * *

12: A Relenting Big Brother **

"I'm glad to see the mission was successful," Juliet said cheerfully, wheeling into the dining room. "I'm Juliet Douglas, and this is my house."

"A pleasure to meet you," Roy said, shaking her hand.

"Where are the others?" Juliet asked, noting that only Roy and Riza stood before her now.

"Hohenheim and Alphonse are catching up, Izumi's calling her husband, Envy's taking a nap, and I'm not sure what Edward is doing," Riza said truthfully.

Juliet nodded. "Good. I think that we can rest for the rest of the night, but tomorrow we'll need to meet up again and discuss our next plan. Obviously, Dante will have tracked you in any way possible, so there's no doubt in my mind she knows where we all are now. She'll wait a few days before attacking, so that gives us a chance to plan."

"What a mess this has become," Roy sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It was unavoidable," Riza said.

The door opened, and Izumi poked her head in. Her arm had already been cleaned and bandaged. "Juliet? May I speak with you?"

Juliet nodded. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes. I just spoke with my husband on the phone. He says that our house was attacked by a group of people. I suspect they're from the gang."

"Did something happen?" Riza asked in alarm.

"No. My husband is quite capable. However, he, my other son Roth, and our neighbor Winry are now in a car, trying to find a hiding place. Is it all right if they come here?"

"It's more than all right," Juliet replied. "I might not have enough rooms for everyone to have their own, but they're welcome to come."

Izumi nodded. "Thank you. They're on Willow Street; can you give him directions from there?"

"Yes. Hand me the phone, please."

* * *

Edward pulled open the medicine cabinet and read the labels on all the bottles, boxes, and jars. Nope. None here. Of course, it was entirely possible that Juliet didn't have any, and even probable. But he could still hold out hope. Juliet's real hair color was a much lighter brown, so maybe... 

He stepped out of the bathroom, trying to remember where the fourth one was. As he did, he saw Riza going into the room he was sharing with Envy. As far as he knew, Envy was in there, taking a nap. What was Riza planning to do?

* * *

_Envy closed his umbrella and slung it over his shoulder. The rain had stopped, and he hadn't turned up anything. He supposed it was time to head back to the car. He didn't want Lust driving off without him AGAIN. _

_He made his way back to the bridge and had just started to cross over it when something caught his eye. He stopped and glanced over the edge of the bridge's railing. He thought he had just seen something, like a hand, waving or something, but he wasn't quite sure. However, it deserved a look. _

_Envy went back to the other side of the bridge and started down the steep side. The grass, of course, was wet, and long enough to tickle his knees and leave thin streaks of water. Envy glanced back up at Lust's car, ensuring that it hadn't driven off, and finally made his way to the bottom. _

_The bridge went over a small stream, but directly underneath the bridge, on either side of the bank, were two concrete ledges. Envy had no clue what they were for, but the one next to him had a person on it. Excitement surged in him as he stepped over the tall grass, making his way to the concrete ledge. A flash lit up the sky for a brief moment, but Envy ignored it and stooped down to peer under the bridge. _

_There he was, finally. Edward Elric, age ten, the object of all Envy's searching. The boy had obviously seen better days, because even in the darkness, Envy could tell he was dirty and malnourished-looking. He was huddled into a ball, hands over his ears, and seemed to be counting to himself. _

_A loud crack of thunder startled Envy, and he jumped a little. Poor Edward leapt nearly a foot in the air, and squeezed his eyes shut tighter. Envy leaned in closer, just to make sure without a doubt that this was Edward. But yeah, it was him. _

_"Well, well, what do we have here?" Envy said, announcing his presence. _

_Edward jumped again, and Envy thought that he was entirely too skittish. The younger boy stared at Envy with frightened golden eyes. 'This kid thinks I'm going to shoot him or something,' Envy realized. So, he tried to calm him down and get him talking. _

_"It's raining. Shouldn't you be at home?" Envy said. _

_Edward took a deep breath, seeming to draw little bit of courage from somewhere. "I don't have a home." His voice came out tiny and frightened. _

_Envy already knew that, but he didn't need to freak this kid out. "No?" he said. "Where's the family then, hmm?" _

_Edward blinked rapidly, then looked away. He looked so sad and pitiful that Envy almost wanted to go find some sweet old lady to adopt him. "I don't have a family." _

_So Edward had completely cut off ties with Hohenheim. Good. Great. Excellent. "Is that so?" Envy said, trying to keep Edward talking. "Then that makes you a homeless orphan, doesn't it?" _

_"I-I guess," Edward answered. _

_Envy realized that in his current position, he might look like a hulking, intimidating threat to Edward's safety. So he scooted under the bridge and crouched down next to Edward, more at eye-level. Edward turned around to face him, and still looked scared. What else could Envy do? _

_"So what's your name then, huh, kid?" Envy asked. _

_Edward looked hesitant, but he finally answered. "...Edward." _

_Finally. They had gotten somewhere. "Elric?" Envy asked, just wanting to shut up the last paranoid doubts in the back of his mind. _

_Edward nodded, looking a little less afraid. "How...how did you know?" he asked. _

_Envy stuck out a hand. "Congratulations. I'm your older brother." _

_Edward stared at him like he had announced he was from Mars. "...My...what?" _

_"Older brother," Envy repeated. "I'm Envy." _

_"I didn't know I had an...I had an older brother," Edward stammered. _

_"I'm not surprised," Envy said. "That bastard you call a father probably wouldn't want to mention it. I'm the son he's ashamed of." _

_"But why?" _

_"He abandoned me. Just like he is with you." Envy shifted on his feet, which were starting to complain. "Listen. I know you're probably not in the best of spirits right now. With what's happened to you, I'm not surprised. But you don't have to be alone. You can come and join my family." _

_Edward eyed him. "Yours?" _

_Envy nodded. "We'll accept anyone. You'll have food, clothes, and a place to stay." _

_Edward seemed to contemplate this, but then he lowered his head. "I don't deserve a family," he said, looking down into the dark water. "I destroyed my own." _

_Was that what he thought? Envy shook his head. "It doesn't matter," he said. "I'll take care of you. Okay?" _

_Slowly, Edward lifted his head and looked at Envy. He had tears brimming in his eyes. "You won't leave?" _

_"Of course not." Envy extended his hand a little further. Poor Edward. He must have felt as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. But he didn't have to worry. His big brother Envy would handle everything. _

_Edward's arms were tucked between his stomach and his legs. He unfolded one arm and hesitantly reached out a hand. At the last minute, he paused, as if still weighing the situation in his mind, but finally took the plunge and put his hand in Envy's. His hand was as cold as ice, but Envy still held it as he backed out from under the bridge. Edward uncurled from his ball and followed. _

_A flash of light made Envy turn his head upwards, and he could feel Edward's entire body tense next to him. Edward pulled his hand from Envy's and covered his ears. Not a second later, the thunder cracked, still startling Envy even though he had known it was coming. Edward jumped again and hid behind Envy, as if the thunder was trying to hurt him. _

_"It's okay," Envy said, taking hold of Edward's arm. "Come on. There's a car up there." _

_As if on cue, Lust blew the horn. Envy looked up and saw that he could see the car from where he was, and he resisted the impulse to flip her the bird. Instead, he half led, half-tugged Edward up the slope and back onto the level ground._

* * *

Envy opened his eyes. The dream lingered in his mind, not having started to fade yet. The moon was full, and it cast enough light into the room that Envy didn't feel the need to turn on the lamp. The digital clock on the nightstand read 2:02 AM. His legs were sore from beating goons up, especially after her had just barely recovered enough to be useful. He sighed and flipped onto his back, stretching first one leg and then the other into the air. 

Well, it was official. He had just fought against his mother's gang. He had passed the point of no return. So either Pride's side won, or he was going to die. What an ultimatum.

But what about after that? If the side he had chosen actually won, what would he do? He had no one to call family, except Pride, but Pride didn't count. Maybe he'd end up a hobo after all.

A tiny glimmer of an idea wormed its way into Envy's mind, but he pushed it away. There was no way he was staying with the NRA and her husband. Absolutely not. He didn't like her. No, he _hated _her. She drove him crazy, always caring, always asking questions that made too much sense, helping to destroy his sense of purpose in the world. In her own gun-themed way, she was much too much like he had always thought a mother should be. Even considering staying with her simply shone a glaring spotlight on the inadequacies of his own mother. How she had yelled at him, called him names whenever he did something wrong. How she had forced him to toughen up by throwing him into such dangerous situations. How she had sent people after him to punish him if he ever failed in his duties.

It made him want to scream. How dare she do that to him? Wasn't she supposed to care about his well-being? To want what was best for him, not just what she wanted for him? To help him through tough times instead of throwing him to the wolves? To not go to such drastic measures to teach him the error of his ways? She should be kind, loving, compassionate. Like moms were supposed to be.

Like the NRA was with Pride. And like how she was trying to be with him.

With a growl, Envy sat up and clenched his fists in his lap. How come his thoughts always went back to her? She was nothing but trouble. It was her fault that this whole mess had happened. If she had just left Pride alone in the first place--

But, if she had left Pride alone, Greed would have killed him. And then what?

There was a knock on the door. Envy looked up. "Come in," he said, crossing his legs and resting his gloveless hands in his lap.

The door opened, and there stood Riza, as if conjured up by his thoughts. "I came to see how you were feeling," she said, walking into the room. The moonlight coming through the window caught her blond hair and made it shine.

"Just peachy," Envy replied, taking off his headband. He hadn't removed it in a while, and he had to tug some life back into the matted part of his hair.

"Your limbs? Are they any better?"

"Yeah, they're all right," Envy said, unceremoniously pulling tangles out of his hair.

"Stop that," Riza commanded, and the way she said it actually made him stop. "You'll tear all your hair out that way." She walked over to the bed and sat down, producing a comb.

Envy stared at her and edged away.

"I'm not a poisonous snake, Envy. I'm just going to comb your hair."

Slowly, uncomfortably, Envy relented, letting Riza move to sit behind him. She started combing out tangles at the bottom of his hip-length, forest green hair, working her way up. Envy stared moodily at the wall, wondering why he was letting her do this.

"Hohenheim told me that Dante is your mother."

Envy stiffened. "Is that why you're so hostile towards me?" Riza went on. "Is it a sense of loyalty to her?"

"Hell no," Envy answered. "I've lost any loyalty to her."

"Still, you're so resistant towards me or anyone helping you. Why is that?"

"Why do you think?" Envy replied. "We don't--didn't trust outsiders. We knew that they were dangerous."

"You mean you were told that we're dangerous."

"Whatever."

Riza stopped to carefully undo a particularly stubborn knot. "Does it scare you to have someone care about you the way mothers are supposed to?"

Envy didn't answer. "Does it?" Riza pressed.

"If I say I don't want to talk about it, will you shut up?"

"If I take my gun and point it to your temple, will you talk to me more respectfully?" Riza countered.

Envy shifted. "Well, you know what I mean."

Riza nodded, starting to comb his hair again. "Yes I will. I'll respect your decision."

"Then I don't want to talk about it."

"All right. Let me finish your hair and I'll leave."

Envy lapsed into silence, balancing his elbows on his thighs and resting his chin in his hands. Riza silently combed his hair. Now, without the support of the headband and having every single tangle combed out, his hair seemed much less unruly, maybe even a little normal if that were possible. Riza worked her way up to Envy's scalp, pulling what seemed like the very last tangle free, and then ran her comb through the hair, straightening it some more. Envy almost fell off the bed when he realized he was relaxing under her hair care. She was so nice to him. Too nice.

"Why don't you hate me?"

Riza stopped combing and looked up. Envy was still faced away from her. "I turned Pride into the person he is now."

"His name is Edward," Riza said, "and it wasn't only you. It was your mother, and other members of her gang, not just you."

"I was the one in charge of watching over him," Envy said, sounding angry. "Hell, I was the one who found him and brought him to the f...the...you know. It is too my fault, and you know it. You're just trying to be nice. Which is another thing. You're so nice and concerned, like you're our mother."

Riza resumed putting the finishing touches on Envy's hair. "Well, I'm not your mother, but I care about you all the same," she said.

Envy suddenly pulled away from her, off the bed, and stood, facing her. His face was angry, but to Riza's shock, there were tears in his eyes. "But _why_?" he yelled. "Why can't you just leave me alone so I don't have to keep comparing you to the kind of mother I should've had! Why do you have to--to--I don't know, be so much like a _mom_! Will you go away if I tell you I hate you? _Will _you?"

Riza sat calmly and faced him as he fumed. "No," she finally said. "I probably wouldn't."

"Well, I hate you anyway! I hate you for destroying everything! You _ruined _my life! My mother wouldn't want to kill me if it weren't for you! I have no home, no family, no nothing, and it's all your fault!"

Riza stood. "You have your brother," she said. "You have me. And when this is over, you'll have my home. If that's my fault, then I'll take the blame."

Envy whirled and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him. He left her standing there, watching him go. How could she? How could she be like that? Why wouldn't she get mad and threaten to blow out his brains? Call him names? Maybe even hit him? Why did she have to be so different from Dante? Why?

Envy didn't stop until he had made it to the back staircase, that led down to Juliet's kitchen. He sat down on the top stair, and finally let the tears go. Screw everything; he was sick of it all. He put his face in his hands and let the tears roll silently, still trying to catch his breath from expending so much energy stomping away.

A sound made his head snap up, and he saw Pride a few feet down the hall. "Go _away_," Envy snapped in his no-discussion-whatsoever tone.

Pride didn't move. He looked solemn, and as if he were resigned to something.

"I said go away!" Envy yelled, his voice straining already.

Pride shook his head and started to advance.

Envy rose on his feet to meet him, fists clenched. "Damn it, Pride, you'd better listen to me! I don't have time for you! Go away!"

Pride ignored him.

"I swear, if you don't get the hell away from me right now, I'm going to--"

Envy never did finish his sentence. He cut off as Pride suddenly made the last few steps one giant step, walked up to Envy, and simply hugged his waist.

"Let go of me!" Envy snapped, pushing Pride by the shoulders, trying to dislodge him.

"Envy, you're such a dumbass."

Envy paused.

"You act like it's a bad thing that the little world Mother isolated us in has been broken open. That's like a blind person being mad that someone gave them the ability to see. So what if that's all you've ever known? You really want to pass up this chance? No more being brutally punished for making mistakes. No more killing people, or wondering if people will try to kill us. No more having to live in the night, using titles, trying to rule people. We can just be _normal_. We can start over."

Envy's arms dropped.

"If we make it out of this alive, we can do what _we _want with our lives. Whatever that is. Envy, I want to go to school."

Envy stared at the wall.

"I want to grow up and have a family. And I don't want to worry about someone coming to blow up our car just because I decided not to be a part of the gang. And I want _you _to see what a real family should be like."

Envy glared at the wall.

"You don't have to forgive Dad right away. I know that'll take time. But what do you have against Riza? The only thing she's doing is offering you something better. Different isn't bad, Envy."

There he went with the logical thinking again. "I hate you too," Envy said without any feeling behind the words.

"I know," Pride replied.

They remained where they were a moment, until Envy had the presence of mind to rub off the dried tear streaks on his face.

"Will you at least give Riza a chance?" Pride asked, looking up at him. "She really wants to help us. Roy too, I think."

Envy sighed heavily. "Am I to assume to won't let go until I agree?"

"Damn straight."

"_Fine_. I'll try to be a little more open-minded."

Pride smiled up at him. "Glad to hear it."

* * *

"This place is so _big_!" Roth said excitedly, bouncing around and touching stuff. 

"Roth, stop that," Izumi said sternly. Her husband loomed behind her imposingly.

Juliet smiled at the 11-year-old's eagerness.

"Wow! A breakout?" Winry said in astonishment. "And everybody's okay?"

Riza nodded. "It went very well."

"That's amazing."

"ROTH!" Izumi roared, as her younger son tried to climb the curtains, seeming to want to test their strength.

"Roth, you will stop immediately," Sig Curtis boomed, striding over.

"YOU WANT ME TO KILL YOU?" Izumi demanded.

"Has anyone seen Brother?" Alphonse asked, poking his head in the room.

The occupants shook their heads as Sig pried Roth off the curtains.

"What a lively child," Hohenheim commented as Roth ran in place in mid-air, his dad holding him up with two huge hands.

Alphonse pulled back out of the room, sighing. He wondered where Edward was. He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't like not knowing. After all, he had been forced to not know for almost ten years. Now that Edward was back, Alphonse didn't want to lose him ever again.

"Alphonse?"

Alphonse turned and saw Winry had come out of the room, closing the door behind her. "Hey," she said.

"Hi, Winry," Alphonse greeted, smiling. The bandage on his cheek crinkled up a little.

"So...this is a pretty big mess, isn't it?"

Alphonse nodded. "I have a feeling it's going to get bigger before it's over," he commented.

"Do you think...it'll turn out okay?"

"I'm confident it will. We'll beat this gang, and then both of my brothers can live peacefully. And so can my dad, and the Mustangs, and everyone," Alphonse said firmly.

Winry nodded, her gaze drifting across the carpet. "You know, when I first met your Edward at Riza's house, I didn't like him," she said. "I thought he was a total delinquent, like a crook or something. But now, it's like he's actually the victim after all. I feel kind of bad for some of the things I said about him."

"It's okay," Alphonse said. "Brother's past _was _pretty tough, but then again so was mine. We both had to find our own ways to survive what happened to us."

"What _did _happen to you?" Winry asked. "I heard some stuff about your biological mom being killed, and supposedly you were supposed to be too, but I don't really get what it all means."

"What it means is that eight years ago, the leader of the gang tried to kill Dad's family," a new voice interrupted. Winry and Alphonse turned to see Edward walking down the stairs, hands in his pockets. "She wanted revenge on him from leaving what she calls her family, so she had his car rigged to explode. Mom got in, and Al did too, but Al got back out before it blew up. That's how our family got scattered."

Winry blinked. "Oh. I'm so sorry, I had no idea."

Edward shrugged. "Well, that was my original aim. I never wanted anyone to know. I blamed myself for the whole thing."

"What?! But why?" Alphonse exclaimed.

"I had overheard Dad and Dante talking, about an hour before it happened. She threatened him, pretty vividly actually. I blamed myself because I had had an idea of what was going to happen, but I didn't talk to anyone about it. I was just going to let Dad handle it," Edward explained.

"But you can't blame yourself for that," Winry pointed out.

"I know that now, but I was just a kid then." Edward closed his eyes and sighed.

Envy suddenly appeared on the stairs, stepping down two at a time as if taking them one at a time was for children. He knocked Edward on the head. "It didn't help matters that Mother latched on to his way of thinking and ingrained him in it more," he commented.

"It sounds like this, Dante? That she's the common denominator behind everyone's problems," Winry said, crossing her arms.

Alphonse nodded. "Then, she's the one we're supposed to target?"

"Without her running everything, the f..."

"Gang," Edward supplied.

Envy sighed. "Whatever we're calling it, it would probably fall apart and be easier to defeat if we got rid of her."

Edward patted Envy's shoulder, as if he knew something about Envy's being able to say that that Winry and Alphonse didn't.

"Wow," Winry commented. "I wish I could help you guys. I mean, this sounds really dangerous."

"Don't worry, Winry," Alphonse said, bestowing a sunny smile on her. "We'll be all right."

"Yeah." Edward suddenly produced a smile that matched Alphonse's. "Our family--the _real _one--is tough. We can handle it."

Winry blinked again, then her cheeks flushed under the brightness of two Elric smiles. She hoped it would turn out as well as they thought it would.

* * *

Hmm. Another long chapter, with a kind of strange ending, but who doesn't have those once in a while? So, we're slowly moving to the inevitable ginormous fight scene, where there's a lot of punching and kicking, shooting and blood, screaming and passing out, yadayada. Catch you next time! 


	13. Mild Intermission

Is it just me, or does it seem like the circumstances of the story would more dictate AlxWin than EdxWin? Maybe it's just me. (shrugs)

Anyhow, thanks and candy to **YourFavoritePlushie, Dark Reborn, Houran, Bar-Ohki, Phantom of the Pie, TinkerbelleTB, lost cause, **and **Phantom SunsSong** for reviewing. You know what comes next.

**Houran: **HOW DID YOU GUESS?! Okay…so maybe it was obvious. And you're probably right. I DARE someone else to write a Parental RizaxEnvy fic…not really.  
**Tinkerbelle: **Yay! I'm glad I did. Envy deserves attention…maybe that's all he really needs!  
**Lost cause: **Yes. Yay! Maybe. Here you go!  
**Phantom Sun: **I agree! Izumi PWNS. I'm glad Envy is likeable. Read on, brave person!

Come on, baby! Do the read-the-chapter thing!!

* * *

**13: Mild Intermission**

"You're looking for this?" Juliet asked, holding up the bottle of dye remover.

Edward glanced over his shoulder from where he was looking in the medicine cabinet. "You found some?"

Juliet nodded, holding out the bottle. "Yes. It's a little old, since I haven't used any in a bit, but I'm sure it's still potent enough to work."

"Thanks, Juliet." Edward accepted the bottle.

"Now that I've got your attention, what are you doing up at 6 in the morning?"

Edward smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't really sleep."

"Is it the nightmares? Do you still have those?"

"Yeah. Not as often, but yeah." Edward looked down at the unopened bottle in his hands.

Juliet reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's scary, Edward. When I first left the gang, I was justifiably terrified. But I'm all right now, and you will be too."

"But this is different, isn't it? You just left. Me, well, we're basically trying to take down the entire gang now. I mean, after all the cops and gangs that have been killed by Dante's 'family members'..." Edward trailed off. "I'm more than scared. If I get Riza killed, or Envy, or Dad, or you or Miss Izumi or Winry or...or Al, I'll never be able to forgive myself."

Juliet's eyes softened, and she smiled at him. "We'll be all right, Edward. We're all very capable people."

Edward slowly nodded.

The sound of footsteps caught their attention, and they both looked up as Winry, hair down and clad in a man's nightshirt, stopped in the bathroom doorway. "Oh! Miss Douglas, Edward. I just got up to use the bathroom, and then I heard voices, so I came to check it out."

The two inside the bathroom noticed the wrench in her right hand. Juliet laughed. "I'm glad you're being alert," she said, wheeling out of the bathroom. Winry stepped aside to let her go. "I'll be heading back to my room now. My assistant will be coming over in a few hours, so please don't clobber her, Winry."

"Uh...yes ma'am." Winry watched Juliet wheel down the hallway, then turned back to Edward. "So, um, I couldn't help but overhear a little of what you guys were saying."

Edward glanced down sideways at the floor. "Yeah, well..."

"I think it's really nice of you."

Edward looked up. "To be worried about us, I mean," Winry went on. "I thought you were just a selfish jerk at first, but you're a really nice guy."

"So I've been told," Edward sighed. "Thanks anyway, but I'm not a nice guy. Nice guys don't beat people up."

"Well, that was in the past, right?"

Edward shrugged and turned back to the sink, twisting the cap off the bottle. Winry cringed as a strong chemical scent drifted over. "What _is _that stuff? It's about to knock me out."

He held the bottle over his shoulder so she could read the label. She did, silently, then looked back at him.

"It's another step to distance myself from the gang," Edward said, opening the cupboard below the sink. He found a half-empty box of latex gloves and pulled them out. "I've never used this stuff myself, so you might want to close the door behind you, in case I use more than I need and fill the whole room with this stink."

"Want me to help?" Winry asked suddenly.

Edward turned around, looking surprised. "What?" Winry said. "I used to have this thing for dyeing my hair red."

"Red?" Edward repeated, a note of skepticism in his voice.

"Yeah. And who are you to talk? Your hair's _green_."

"Well, I didn't pick it myself," Edward retorted. He blinked slowly, considering the bottle in his hands. "You don't have to help," he said. "I'm good."

Winry, instead of leaving, stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She held her hand out for the bottle. "You'd better let me do it," she warned, "or you could dissolve your head off."

Edward's golden eyes narrowed. "No it won't."

"Close enough. You said yourself you've never used this stuff. Hand the gloves over." As she said it, Winry's right arm raised, and the wrench went with it.

"What're you going to do? Bludgeon me to death if I don't agree?" Edward demanded, though he had a wary eye on the wrench.

"Maybe," Winry commented.

Edward sighed heavily and plopped the bottle into her outstretched hand. "You're _sure _you know how to use this stuff?"

"Better than you do, definitely. You'd better take off your shirt so it doesn't get stained."

Edward shrugged, as if it were out of his hands, and pulled his shirt over his head. Winry gaped at him as he dropped his shirt on the closed lid of the toilet and pulled the ponytail holder off the end of his braid. He had started to undo his braid when he realized that Winry was staring unashamedly at his torso. "What?" he demanded irritably.

"...You're ripped."

Edward looked down at his chest and stomach. There was a pretty distinct six-pack, and the muscles on his arms and chest were also well-defined. He hadn't spent much time ogling himself, though, so it didn't have quite the same impact on him as it did on her. "Uh, yeah, so?"

"How old are you again?"

"Fifteen."

Winry stared some more, then pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "What the heck do you bench press? SUVs?"

"I thought you were going to do my hair," Edward reminded her exasperatedly.

"Sorry. I've just never seen that much muscle on anyone my age."

"Well, I needed a lot of strength for the things I had to do!" Edward said. Then he hesitated, and sighed heavily, sitting down on the edge of the tub. "Will you just do my hair, please?"

Winry pulled on the gloves. "Right. Sorry." She hadn't meant to dredge up his past again. "Here, go ahead and turn on the water in the tub."

* * *

"Roy?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm worried."

Roy turned over to look at his wife. The sun was starting to come up, so he could see her well enough. She lay on her back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Her hair was spread out on the pillow. "Worried?" Roy repeated, certain he had heard wrong.

"Yes."

"Riza, you don't get worried."

Riza turned her head to face him. "I'm afraid that even with all of us together, we might not have what it takes to defeat Dante and her gang. If she wins, I fear for Edward and Envy. I want them to live normal lives."

"And they will," Roy told her firmly. "We've got each other's backs, so don't start thinking of all the what-ifs. They'll just keep you pessimistic."

Riza didn't seem assured. Roy could tell something else what wrong. "What is it?"

"Envy told me he hated me. Twice."

"Oh." Roy sat up, running a hand through his messy black hair. He turned back to Riza. "Well, what did you expect? I would have been more surprised if he _hadn't_ said that."

"Do you think...Roy, what if I can't reach him?"

"No, not the what-ifs again." Roy sighed. "Riza, it's going to be fine. Don't dwell on the bad things, all right?"

Riza didn't answer. Roy turned around to face her, and was shocked out of his skin to see her looking at the ceiling again, a distressed look on her face. On a normal person it may not have been much, but on Riza, the ultimate unreadable woman, it meant she was as close to tears as she would ever be.

Roy fidgeted, unsure of what to do to assure his wife. Finally he lay back down, scooted over to her, and put his arms around her. "Riza, it's going to be okay," he practically begged. "You have to hold onto that, or we're doomed."

Riza still said nothing.

"Please respond, dear. If I've got to slap you, and it will help, I will."

"Slap me and die," Riza answered.

Roy sighed. But Riza turned to him with a smile on her face. "Thank you," she said, hugging him back.

A smile of relief spread across Roy's face. "No more Depressed Riza," he said to her. "_I'm _the one who gets all moody. Not you."

"If you insist," Riza replied.

Roy's nose crinkled. "Do you smell something?"

* * *

"What the hell?" Envy exclaimed, sitting up right. "Who's practicing chemistry in the freaking house?"

He turned to Pride to see if the latter had any idea what the smell was, but the bed across from his was empty. Grumbling, Envy threw back the covers and swung his pale legs out of bed. He grabbed the black pants he had casually tossed onto the floor last night, threw them on, and skulked out of the room. The horrible smell seemed to be coming from down the hall.

Alphonse was on his way down the hall, already dressed in the white shirt and navy pants of his school uniform, without the matching navy jacket. He had a hand over his nose. "What's that smell?" he exclaimed.

"How should I know?" Envy said, a disgusted look on his face.

The bathroom door behind them both was suddenly flung open, and Winry Rockbell stumbled out. The smell in the hallway was suddenly amplified. She sprinted to the nearest window and shoved it open, sticking her head out. Fortunately there wasn't a screen.

"Winry! What's that smell?" Alphonse called.

Winry took a few gulps of fresh air before she dared to stick her head back inside. "Just Ed's head," she replied, her nose already wrinkling from the smell again.

"Brother's...head?" Alphonse repeated, completely confused. Envy was stumped also.

At least until Pride came flying out of the bathroom, shirtless and with a towel on his shoulders, and stuck his head out the same window Winry had used.

Alphonse and Envy gaped at him. Envy could barely recognize him. It had been a long, long time since he had seen Pride look like that. In fact, the last time, Pride had still been Edward.

"Brother!" Alphonse exclaimed, obviously delighted. "You changed your hair color!"

"We didn't change it," Winry corrected as Pride tried to suck all of the air out of the neighborhood. "We just used some dye remover. That was the stink. That stuff was _really _potent."

Alphonse sounded really happy, and he went over to where Winry and Pride stood. Envy just stared at Pride's head, at the golden blond hair now on top of it. No more dark green. He looked like a completely different person.

_No...not a completely different person. He just looks like Edward again. He really isn't Pride anymore._

Pride...no, Edward, finally pulled his head back inside. He ran his fingers through his wet hair. Alphonse laughed and took a small section in his hand. "Why did you have your hair that harsh dark green, Brother? You look so much better with your hair like this!"

"Seriously!" Winry chimed in. "I'd kill for my hair to be this color!"

"Will you two knock it off?" Edward said, sounding embarrassed.

Alphonse and Winry laughed at him. Envy turned around and went back in his room.

* * *

Riza had already changed into a sky blue button-up shirt and the jeans she had worn yesterday, and was combing her hair, when there was a knock on the door. She looked up. Roy had already dressed in the clothes he'd been wearing the past three days and gone downstairs to have some breakfast.

"Come in," Riza said, resuming combing her hair.

The door opened slightly, and Riza was surprised to see Envy. He squeezed in through a small crack and leaned against the wall.

"Good morning," Riza said, smiling at him.

Envy looked away and then nodded.

"Did you smell whatever that was a little while ago?"

"...It was Pride," Envy said.

"You mean Edward," Riza corrected.

"He took out his hair dye."

"He did?" Riza wondered why he had done it. Whatever his reason, she was glad. It was yet another step away from the gang that had represented his life for five years.

Envy seemed incredibly occupied with staring at the carpet. Riza watched him for a moment, then spoke. "Would you like me to do your hair again?"

He looked up with a start, then swallowed, then looked away. Riza waited until he looked back towards her, then patted the space beside her on the bed. He seemed to consider, then deliberately crossed the carpet and sat down next to her. He resumed staring at the carpet.

"Envy." He didn't look up. "I know you came in here for a reason."

"Pride seems to trust you," Envy finally said.

"His name is Edward."

"Whatever." Envy folded his hands in his lap. Riza, seeing that he planned to take no immediate action, scooted herself behind him and started combing his hair. Envy tensed up for a moment, but seemed to give up and heaved a big sigh.

"Is there anything you wanted to talk about?" Riza asked, trying to figure out how one night had managed to put so many tangles back in his hair.

Envy didn't say anything at first. Riza silently detangled his hair.

"Pr--um..."

"Edward," Riza supplied.

"...Um...Edward...said he wanted to go to school."

"That's wonderful," Riza commented. "Once this is all over, I'll make sure to discuss options with him."

"Okay. He's smart, so don't send him to any crappy public school. Find a good private one," Envy instructed her firmly.

Riza smiled. "I'll make sure to do that."

"And he doesn't like milk."

"Is he lactose intolerant?"

"No. He eats cheese and milkshakes and other dairy crap, just not milk."

Riza considered that as she worked out a particularly stubborn knot.

"And he doesn't like being called short," Envy went on.

"I've learned that from experience," Riza replied.

"He'll blow up."

"Oh will he?"

Envy nodded. "It's hilarious."

Riza leaned over a bit to catch Envy's expression. He was focusing on the wall and didn't appear to be smiling.

"He likes to read. Anything that he can learn from. Books, newspapers, hell, the backs of cereal boxes. Sometimes he listens to classical music, too. There's this one song in particular he seems to like. I think it's called _Dante's Song_, unfortunately ironic. You might want to see if you can find it for him and buy him the CD as a birthday present."

"When is his birthday?" Riza asked.

"October 3rd(1)."

"Hmm," Riza commented.

"If you plan to take care of my brother, then you'd better be equipped. Once he's _really_ comfortable with you, he'll start showing his real self."

"And what's that like?" Riza asked.

Envy said nothing for a moment. When he did answer, his had changed. In a tone Riza didn't quite understand, he replied, "He would have been fun to grow up with."

Riza paused for a moment. Envy's back had slumped.

"So," Riza finally said, breaking the silence, "you've told me all of this stuff about Edward, but nothing about yourself. What are you like?"

"I don't matter," Envy said to the wall.

* * *

(1) Ed's birthday: I know it's sometime in the winter, and Oct 3rd isn't what it is in the show, but that is a significant day anyway, so why not make it Ed's birthday?

The reason I called this chapter "Mild Intermission" is because it's kind of a catch-your-breath-between-action chapter. Which means, obviously, that next chapter _some_thing exciting will happen. At least that's how it's supposed to go. So read, review, and save some sympathy for our trio of brothers.


	14. The Battle Begins

* * *

For once, I was right. This chapter has action. Yesss. You will love it and you will return for more...at least that's what I predict. As always, a heaping helping of thanks to **corkxrew, YourFavoritePlushie, Assena, ElricKeyblace, TenshiElric, Chibi Hayaku Hashiru, Phantom SunsSong, lost cause, TinkerbelleTB, Dark Reborn, Call-me-Lie-chan, Guardian Angel of Wolves, Marie blaze, Phantom of the Pie, Wandering Hitokiri, Bar-Ohki,** **Katty **and **Sodoma** for reviewing. And thanks also for being patient. Writer's Block really didn't want me churning this baby out at 2 in the morning...

Oh yes, and the responses?

**corkxrew: **Be careful with Envy's neck. I still need him.**  
ElricKey:** There's an almost zero percent chance of AlxWin; I just felt like pointing out circumstances.  
**TenshiElric: **If you're still here, I really wish you wouldn't leave! I'm no romance buff anyway, and the EdxWin is going to be even more toned down than I had planned, the way the story's going.  
**Chibi H H: **I know that, and YOU know that, but poor Envy doesn't get it.  
**Phantom Sun: **Yay blonde! There's probably not going to be AlxWin, and DEFINITELY no EdxEnvy. I hope your chemistry homework went well!  
**lost cause: **Actually, there is. I've never personally used any, but I've seen it in stores, and I've heard about other people using it. I figure something like dye remover must be really chemical, which probably means it stinks to high heaven and can knock out the weak-willed. Hopefully Envy will get happy.  
**Tinkerbelle: **Yep, that Envy and his angst. He should probably go ahead and become an emo. Riza's trying her best to lift him out of his funk, though; at least he trusts her with his hair.  
**Lie-chan: **I'm glad you like it!  
**Guardian Angel: **It's because I just like Envy. I make him empathetic. The Winry-sees-shirtless-Ed part was one of the most fun to write.  
**Bar-Ohki: **A brief, but very poignant observation. You hit the nail on the head.  
**Katty: **Oh, snap. Riza and Hohenheim? That scares me. Don't you try to plot-bunny me, whippersnapper!

And now, an extra-long chapter to reward you.

* * *

**14: The Battle Begins**

**Friday, May 12th**

**_3:20 PM_**

"Mother?" Lust ventured, poking her head into the crack into the door.

"Yes, come in, Lust," Dante said, not turning from the window as she motioned Lust in with a hand.

The younger woman stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. "We're ready, Mother," she said. "All the Chosen have mobilized their groups and the extended family. We have a lock on their location. We're ready to move when you give the signal."

Dante nodded at the window. "Good. Give them the go ahead. And have someone prepare the car."

"You're...coming?" Lust said in surprise.

Dante finally turned from the window, a smile on her face, but her amethyst-colored eyes cold. "Why yes, Lust dear. In order to completely squash this juvenile rebellion, I have to be there to lead my family. I must teach my boys the error of their ways."

Lust nodded slowly. "Yes, of course, Mother," she said. She exited the room quietly.

Dante turned back to the window. So all the exiles had banded together. Sloth, Pride, Envy. And they had mobilized at least five other people, including the traitorous Wrath. If they actually believed that they stood a chance, they were sorely mistaken. Dante had thwarted every force that had come against her family for years. A small gathering of untrained civilians had the same chance of winning as an infant lamb in a den of lions. Those fools would soon learn the futility of coming against her.

However, it wasn't all to be a massacre. Dante still knew Pride inside and out, and she knew his reasons for attempting to escape the family. She knew exactly what to do to have him return of his own free will. Her hold over him was stronger than he or anyone thought. As for her delinquent son...she would not even waste energy on him. He had committed an unforgivable betrayal in her eyes, and he would die with the others.

But once the dust had settled, Dante was certain it would be an incentive to all not to foolishly attempt to leave the family. She would finish off three of the deserters as an example. If Pride were anyone but Hohenheim's son, she would eliminate him as well...but revenge would be sweeter against his bastard father when she regained control over him.

An unpleasant smile crossed her face. Today would be a very good day.

* * *

**_4:30 PM_**

"Are we ready?" Juliet asked.

There were general nods. Juliet turned to her assistant. "Clara, if you would be kind enough..."

"Of course." Clara pulled out a bunch of keys. "Once everyone who's leaving is gone, I'll activate the security system."

"Then let's go," Izumi said firmly.

As the two groups began to say goodbye, Riza approached Juliet. "You're certain that they'll be arriving tonight?" she asked.

Juliet nodded. "I remember how the gang works. It will most definitely be tonight."

"And you and the others will be all right?"

"Better than you'd believe," Juliet said, smiling. She, Winry, Roth, Sig, and Clara were going to stay in the mansion while everyone else drove back to the prison, taking the cellphone that Juliet had said they would be tracking. Therefore, they'd draw the danger away from those not directly involved.

Izumi hugged Roth and Alphonse, and then gave her husband a kiss. "Help hold down the fort, dear," she said.

"I will," Sig said.

"Hey, when you get back, you'll help me dye my hair green, right?" Roth asked Edward.

Edward smiled and ruffled the 11-year-old's already wild hair. "Yeah, sure, if you get the okay from your mom."

Juliet extended a hand to Envy. "I know you'll probably want to pursue your own goals when this is over, so we might not meet again. I wish you the best, Envy."

Envy shook her hand, but didn't say anything. His face seemed a bit resigned.

Riza shook hands with Sig and hugged Winry. "Be safe, okay?"

"Of course, Miss Riza. Just come back?" Winry said hopefully.

"You know I will."

Once the farewells were finished, Riza, Roy, Edward, Alphonse, Envy, Izumi, and Hohenheim stood and faced the others.

"If you can, try to bring my guns back in working order," Juliet said.

"We might end up using them as clubs, but we'll try," Roy said, finishing the last of his coffee.

Edward turned to Alphonse. "Al, you know you should stay here, right?"

"Not a chance, Brother," Alphonse said, smiling at him. "I'm not letting you out of my sight for a second. You aren't going to run off and get yourself killed."

"I'm not that irresponsible," Edward said, frowning.

They waved a final farewell, and Clara led them to the garage. Juliet had already picked out the vehicles they would use--two armor-plated cars with inside access to the trunks, where the multiple guns had been stored. Roy took the wheel in one, with Riza in the passenger seat, and Hohenheim in the back, and Izumi took the wheel in the other, with Alphonse in the passenger seat and Edward and Envy in the back. Clara opened the automatic garage door for them, and they drove out, with Izumi's car in front.

Both cars were filled with silence. In Izumi's, Envy sat and watched his lap. Alphonse and Izumi watched the road, and Edward looked out the window at the house. It had occurred to him several times that this could be the final time he saw Juliet's home.

_So this is really it. We're really going to go and fight Dante, _Edward thought. _Everyone's being pretty optimistic, but do we really have a chance? Dante is ruthless, and so are her "children". We could be driving to our deaths._

Edward was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't realize someone was touching his hair until he felt several sharp tugs. He turned slightly and managed to catch a glimpse of Envy doing something to his hair, before the 20-year-old pushed his head back into the position it had been in.

"Envy?" Edward said in confusion as he tried to catch his brother's reflection in the window.

Envy said nothing but continued whatever he was doing to Edward's hair that required him to pull and tug it in multiple directions. Finally he finished and slapped Edward on the shoulder.

"Okay, what did you--" Edward broke off as he reached behind his head to feel his hair. Instead of the loose ponytail he had thrown his hair into this morning, he found a neat braid. Blinking, he turned to his older brother. "Envy...?"

Envy was looking at him with an uncaring face. He shrugged. "NRA was right. You look better like that."

Edward's cheeks flushed. "Thanks?"

"Yeah," Envy said, looking back down at his lap.

Edward watched him, recognizing a strange air of sadness. Was he, too, thinking morbidly? "Um, hey--"

Envy looked back up. "Yeah? What?"

"Um...don't be negative, okay? We might walk away from this."

Envy smiled a sad smile. "You think so?"

Edward felt alarm. "You don't? Don't tell me you're giving up already! I mean, a defeatist attitude isn't going to do anything but--"

Envy hugged him.

There was a moment's silence as Edward struggled to catch up with his brother's actions. "Hey, what're you doing?" he said into Envy's right shoulder.

"Just shut up, dumbass."

Edward glared. "Don't call me names!" he said, muffledly.

Envy's arms tightened around his brother. "I'm pulling rank. I'm ordering you to shut up and promise me that you'll survive."

"Whah?"

"I mean it." Envy sounded angry now. "If you die on me, I'll kick your ass, got it?"

"Um...yeah...I guess," Edward said, still confused.

Envy still didn't let go, and Edward's back started to hurt from the strain of being pulled halfway across the seat to be hugged.

"Just..." Envy now spoke in a voice that only Edward could hear. "Take care of yourself."

"Envy," Edward answered in a voice that matched Envy's volume, "you sound like you're saying goodbye."

Envy abruptly let go and turned to face the window. Edward stared at the back of his head for a moment, confused and a little scared.

"We'll be there in ten more minutes," Izumi announced.

* * *

**_4:45 PM_**

Dante was watching the cloudless sky out the window when her cellphone rang. She flipped it open and put it to her ear. "Speak."

"_We have confirmation that at least one of them is on the move from the locked location,_" Greed's voice said.

"To where?" Dante demanded, sitting up.

"_From the direction they're headed, it looks like the prison. Think it's a trap?_"

Dante sat silently for a moment. Perhaps they actually thought to have a plan. Did the fools imagine they could win? "Have your group and Lust's group change course and go to the prison," she said. "I'll be following. Have the remaining teams continue to the locked location."

"_Yes, Mother._" Greed hung up, and Dante resumed staring out the window, only this time with a frown on her face. Her driver needed no verbal command and followed two-thirds of the cars as they turned right.

* * *

**_5:01 PM_**

The two cars pulled up to the area where the prison was at nearly the same time. For what promised to be a very dramatic battle, it was ridiculously sunny. The first car, driven by Riza, pulled off to the cover of a small clump of trees and bushes. Izumi parked her car directly beside, and everyone quietly climbed out.

"It's quiet," Riza said.

"It's empty," Envy replied, crossing his arms. "They're all immersed in tracking us down. The prison was most likely cleared out a couple of days ago, so they could have all hands to come hunt us down."

Edward heaved a sigh. "Like that one time with the Stripes, you mean?" he said.

Envy nodded.

Izumi, Roy, and Hohenheim had already popped the trunk and pulled out the cases in which the guns were stored. There were four cases, each with six guns and a multitude of loaded clips inside. "What's the game plan?" Izumi said, looking from Edward to Envy and back.

"Our best bet is to take strategic cover and wait for them to track the phone here," Edward stated. "It's probably best to have one or two people on the roof, sniping, two or three people waiting outside for an ambush, and everyone else inside with the bulk of the guns."

"We need to get into groups and stay in them," Envy seconded, his gaze still turned towards the prison. "The f...they are obviously well-versed in gunfights and hand-to-hand combat, so everybody needs someone who can have their back at all times."

Edward considered, then turned to Riza. "I think you and me should be the snipers on the roof. Envy, Izumi, and Alphonse can take up a position outside, and Dad and Roy will be the third group inside with the weapons. The third group will have to be responsible for close-range sniping and giving out weapons to the second group when necessary."

Since both he and Envy were the ones with the most knowledge about the situation they were likely to face, no one argued. Riza and Edward took two of the cases, and Roy and Hohenheim took the other two.

"Everybody leave your walkie-talkies on," Edward instructed. "We need to be able to communicate as easily as possible. Focus on putting gang members out of commission as fast as you can. Don't leave your assigned area to assist another group until you're out of people to fight. And don't ever split up for any reason. We've got to stick together or we're all going to die."

They let this sink in. "Is there anything else we should know?" Izumi asked.

"Yeah. Kill the guys with guns first," Envy said, his back still to the group.

"_Disable_ any armed gang members as fast as you can," Edward said. "They'll be the biggest threat. And, when all else fails, play possum. We--they--like to gloat."

Nods went around the group.

"Any questions?" No one had one. Edward took a deep breath. "Then we're ready to go. If I'm right, they should start arriving in around 20 minutes."

"Then let's go," Roy said decisively.

"Stay safe, everyone," Alphonse spoke up, sounding a little nervous.

* * *

**_5:12_**

"Miss Juliet?" Winry said, a bit nervously, looking through the blinds. "I think they're here." She watched as four large, black vehicles pulled up to the curb in front of the house.

"All right, everyone," Juliet said authoritatively, "you know what to do. Winry, Roth, kitchen. Now."

Winry nodded. Roth, for once subdued, had no problem with taking her hand as they hurried to take cover in the kitchen.

"Are we letting them make the first move?" Clara asked as she cocked a sniper rifle.

Juliet shook her head. "Let's use the element of surprise as well as we can. Mr. Curtis?"

"Yes," the towering man boomed.

"Make use of your strength. You're the bulk of our defense, besides the alarm system," Juliet said with a smile.

Sig nodded. He along with Winry and Roth were the only ones outfitted in bulletproof attire. The only way Sig could be harmed by a bullet was if someone shot him in the face, hands, or the rear.

Juliet wheeled herself to the stairs. Sig made his way past her and down to the front door. Clara stayed upstairs, carefully positioning her sniper rifle to take out the first approaching gang members. Winry and Roth hid out behind the armor-plated door to the enclosed kitchen.

"What if they get in here?" Roth whispered.

"They won't," Winry assured him. But she knew there was a possibility they might. That was why she had her wrench, the nearly full knife block, and several large frying pans within reach. She had also made a makeshift partition that would give her and Roth cover if they had to run and hide behind the counters. She hoped she was ready.

She hoped everyone was ready.

* * *

_**5:34** _

"_I just got word that the unmanned groups are at the locked location,_" Lust reported. "_They're preparing to set the attack._"

"Good," Dante said as the parade of cars turned into the prison's area. "I trust we won't need to prepare for ours?"

"_No, Mother. We're ready the moment we leave the cars_."

"Have Kimbley drive his car through the doors," Dante said. "Everyone else can exit and begin the follow-up attack. Isolate and eliminate anyone who opposes you, but bring Pride to me alive. Understood?"

_"Yes, Mother_." Lust hung up, and Dante smiled as she watched one of the cars break out of the line and drive towards the prison doors at top speed.

* * *

Kimbley had been contemplating all the different ways he could blow the whole prison sky high when he received the call from Lust to bust open the doors with his fender. He sighed in disappointment, but cheered himself with the fact that he could shoot his gas tank after he got his car inside, which would blow up at least the first floor.

He turned his car out of the procession and towards the double doors, pushing the pedal to the floor. The roar of the engine excited him. Killing these rebels and whatever they were calling the civilians would be fun. Sure, he admired them standing up to Dante and everything, but he would enjoy being a part of their destruction.

Destruction. What a fun word!

* * *

Kimbley's car was mere seconds from making contact with the doors when a gunshot blasted from nowhere. There was a quiet tink of breaking class, and the car started to swerve crazily. A few gang members took cover behind their open car doors and started shooting up at the top windows and roof. Each of the answering gunshots, however, brought down one of the shooters with ease.

"Get in the building!" Lust yelled from her cover position behind her own car door.

Kimbley had crashed the side of his car into the wall of the building, revealing the bullet hole through the windshield. Nobody bothered to check and see if he had survived. There were more gunshots from the roof, and gang members who had strayed a little too far from their cover to try and shoot the mystery sniper went down quickly.

A few people drove their cars into a semicircle, which ended a few feet from the doors, giving them better cover to get inside. Gang members quickly exited the cars as the windshields were peppered with bullet holes; a few weren't fast enough getting out, however. There was more gunfire back and forth, but it was obvious that the mystery sniper or snipers were a lot better at their jobs and had the element of an ambiguous location on their side.

Dante remained in her car, watching through the window, not moving an inch so as not to draw attention. More of her subjects fell under the gunfire, but the bulk of them were going to make it inside.

Just as the first few gang members got to the door, two blurs leaped from the surrounding bushes and began a much more bruising assault. Izumi delivered hard, powerful blows to her opponents, punching and kicking and tossing people over her shoulder or into the wall. Envy's style was a little less fierce but just as effective. Several quick hits or a couple of well-placed kicks knocked down gang members just as quickly as Izumi's methods.

They were soon surrounded by gang members looking for a fight. Izumi and Envy glanced at each other for a split second before leaping in opposite directions and beginning to pummel the snot out of their opponents. Even attempting to gang up on them didn't work, as Envy was well-versed in unfair fighting, and Izumi was just too tough and too fast.

A couple of guys hung back from the general beatdown area, looking for a chance to throw in a few cheap shots. One man thought he saw an opening when Izumi's back was facing him, and he lunged forward, only to have his legs kicked out from under him. The other man whirled in surprise, fists up, but merely got a glance at the dingy white traction of a blue high top before Alphonse smashed his foot directly into the man's face.

The man who had been knocked down jumped back up. "Why, you little--!"

With no hesitation, Alphonse smacked the man across the face with a heavy tree branch he had found earlier. When the man clutched his face in pain, Alphonse expertly used a high kick to snap the man's head back and send him back to the ground.

Alphonse straightened and sensed a presence behind himself. He whirled, using a crescent kick to hit another man in the side of his face. At exactly the same moment, Izumi's foot came sweeping from the other direction and hit the man at knee-level. The combined kicks sent the man tumbling down easily.

"Thanks, Mom!" Alphonse said.

"Keep that guard up," Izumi sort-of praised, before reaching behind her and, without looking, smashing her fist into the jaw of another gang member who was trying to sneak up on her.

* * *

Up on the roof, Riza effortlessly downed a gang member with every shot she took. Edward wasn't as accurate, but he did manage to hit someone the majority of the time. Occasionally they had to duck or move aside to avoid a whizzing bullet, and one had grazed Ed's cheek. He had ignored it and continued to fire, letting a trickle of blood run down his cheek to his chin.

"My clip's almost empty," Riza said.

Edward nodded, ready to cover her area when she changed clips.

"Empty."

"Go." Edward shifted his position just slightly and picked up the rhythm Riza had been using to fire, so those below wouldn't know she had stopped. Riza, meanwhile, removed the empty slip and slid a new one in. She was set back up and firing again in less than six seconds.

"Have you seen Dante yet?" Riza asked.

"No," Edward said as he aimed carefully and hit a woman who, judging by where she was shooting, had been close to finding his position. "She might not have come."

"Okay." Riza fired once and managed to hit two people with the single shot.

"Show-off," Edward commented, firing through a windshield at a gang member still in his car.

Riza smiled briefly.

* * *

Roy waited quietly and listened to the cacophony of noise outside for what seemed like hours. He and Hohenheim were both poised with loaded guns, their backs against the walls right next to the doors, waiting to fire if anyone came in.

So far, they hadn't.

"Can you watch the door?" Roy asked.

Hohenheim nodded. "Where are you going?"

"To check and see if we can start sniping yet." Roy quickly stood and swung around to face the window. He peered out of the corner and watched Izumi, Envy, and Alphonse beat people up. He could see others firing towards the roof. If one of them hit his wife, it would be on.

"Well?" Hohenheim asked.

"I think they're handling it."

He finished the last word about one millisecond before the explosion.

* * *

I am sooo sorry. I just can't help how much I like cliffhangers.

If it makes you feel any better, the next one, I hope, will be just as long, if not longer. And crammed full of so much action your eyes will pop from their sockets...and hopefully get safely back in.

See you then!


	15. Casualties

I dislike tests with a fervent passion. I also dislike hospitals with a ferventer passion. And I really can't stand that my drawing hand is out of commission.

Nevertheless, we move on to another action-filled chapter. Please thank my little sis for typing up the A/N for me. And I apologize for no responses this time, but that's because…well, I hope you were listening before.

Onto the chapter.

* * *

**15: Casualties**

Kimbley had been determined to blow something up. And lobbing a grenade towards the front doors must have seemed like a great idea to his fading mind. It--the grenade, not his mind--bounced off the door and exploded, rocking the area and sending clouds of skin-destroying heat in every direction.

Envy had already caught sight of the grenade and flipped to safety. Izumi had grabbed Alphonse and used a gang member as a spring board to leap away. So the only people caught in the blast were gang members. Two of the cars caught fire.

"Go! Now!" Greed yelled.

Using the flames and smoke as cover, a procession of gang members hurried towards the doors, which had been blown open. Greed brought up the rear. Izumi had recovered and was once again bringing the pain to some of the shooters. Envy was running from car to car, looking through the windows. He frowned once he had looked into each one, and launched himself back into the fight. Three guys and a girl were trying to gang up on Alphonse, who was bravely holding his own. Envy entered the scene by landing on top of one of the guys and punching the second in the gut.

The third guy rushed at him, a stereotypical crowbar raised over his head. Envy rolled his eyes and kicked the crowbar away. He then used a spinning kick to nail the guy right in the throat, knocking him down. Envy stomped on his chest for good measure.

Alphonse, meanwhile, did battle with the girl. She looked to be only a few years older than him, and was doing a good job of keeping up. Alphonse seemed a bit hesitant to deliver a crumbling blow, like he had with the men, but Envy didn't feel that chivalrous hesitation. He tripped the girl from behind and drove an elbow into the back of her head, knocking her out.

"Don't hesitate," Envy said to Alphonse. "They won't do you the same courtesy."

Alphonse swallowed and nodded.

* * *

Roy and Hohenheim had been able to make it to safety, though the side of Roy's arm now stung. They took cover behind an overturned table while Roy assessed the damage. His skin had been burned, but it was a superficial wound.

"Here they come," Hohenheim said, gun at the ready.

"Lovely. You shoot, I'll pound," Roy said, rolling up his sleeves and stepping from behind the table.

Hohenheim looked surprised. "Roy, what are you--"

He was cut off as two gang members burst through the weakened doors. They looked surprised to see Roy just kind of standing out in the open.

"Hi there," Roy said, casually sticking his left hand in his pocket. "How's the gang business going?"

Hohenheim wanted to smack him.

A few more gang members came in from behind and started to scan the room. One of the first two sneered. "What're you, some kind of smartass distraction?" he said.

"Aw, I'm hurt," Roy said.

The man snorted. "That's nothing compared to the beatdown you're about to get!" He rushed Roy, brandishing--you guessed it--a crowbar.

Hohenheim felt the urge to swear as he quickly stuck his head up over the table and prepared to shoot the guy.

Roy, however, was faster. With only his right hand, he knocked the crowbar away and flipped the guy hard onto his back. "Don't be so hasty, let's chew the fat," Roy said mildly.

"Why you--!" the second guy yelled, running towards Roy with a fist cocked. Roy tripped him with an outstretched leg, then grabbed the guy's arm and used his momentum to sling him right into the wall. The first guy got up and tried to punch Roy, but Roy dodged it, kicked the man where the sun doesn't shine, and when the man bent over in agony, drove an elbow into his neck to knock him down.

"Get him!" another gang member yelled unceremoniously, and three or four ran towards Roy. Hohenheim aimed carefully and managed to bring down one, but that alerted the others to his presence, and most of them pulled out guns.

"Oh, darn," Hohenheim said, ducking as a spray of gunfire took bites out of his table.

Roy continued to do battle with only his right hand and leg, but apparently that was enough. He mostly used his opponents' momentum to knock them down or toss them into a wall, and didn't seem to be fazed, or even break a sweat. "Seriously," he said as he disarmed yet another gang member and knocked him out, "trying to rush me isn't working; why not mix it up a little?"

* * *

Edward's clip ran out, and Riza took over his area while he quickly reloaded. You would think that eventually they would run out of gang members to shoot, but it seemed that for every one they took out, another popped out of nowhere and returned fire. Worse, some had made it into the building before they could be brought down. Edward hoped his dad and Roy were holding their own down there.

He tensed, sensing a presence, and whirled, sniper rifle swinging out. The flash of something shiny and probably dangerous caught his eye, and he just barely dodged it, rolling away. He jumped to his feet, rifle still in his hands.

"Pride," said the woman now standing before him, a very long knife in hand.

"Marta," Edward said in the same tone.

Riza paused for a split second to assess the new danger.

"Keep shooting!" Edward yelled to her. She nodded and turned back around.

Marta's stance was relaxed, which was something she always did to throw off the enemy. "Never thought I'd be fighting you," she said. "I was in your group. I looked up to you."

"You shouldn't have," Edward said. At this close range, the rifle was practically useless, except for something to swing with. He wondered if he could get the handgun in his leg holster before Marta reacted.

"I wish you hadn't abandoned the family," Marta said. "I hate to have to fight you."

Edward's hand inched off the rifle to get his gun, but Marta's quick eyes caught the movement. She instantly leaped into action, slicing at Edward so quickly he could barely keep up. He ducked and dodged, using the rifle when necessary to deflect the knife swings. Her lightning-quick reflexes were too much for even his own skills, however, and she soon started getting in a swipe here and there. Cuts started to appear on Edward's hands and arms, but he ignored the pain. He swung the rifle at Marta like a club, but she dived out of the way. She hurled her knife at his hand, and it cut deeply enough to cause him to drop the rifle.

Like magic, Marta produced a new knife and lunged at him, kicking the rifle over the edge in the process. Edward jumped out of the way, but Marta lashed out with a boot and caught him in the chest. He flipped in the air once and managed to catch himself on one knee, sliding backwards next to Riza. Who was no longer facing the area below.

Riza, with reflexes even faster than Marta's, pulled her own personal gun from her leg holster, aimed and fired. Marta, who had been running towards Edward, suddenly jerked backwards while in motion, a hole appearing in her forehead. She fell to the ground.

"Dammit!" Edward growled.

"What is it?" Riza asked.

"She didn't come up here just to try and knife me." Edward pointed to the empty space next to Riza. "She kicked the cases with the other guns and the rest of the ammo off the roof. When your clip runs out, we're done up here."

Riza swung her rifle back around to rest on the shin-high railing on the roof. "Then we'd better make every shot count," she said.

* * *

Something was wrong. Something was terribly, horribly wrong. Alphonse had been fighting nonstop. Every time he brought down one person, one or two more took their place, attacking him in earnest. He tried to scan the area as he fought, but he didn't see Envy or Izumi. Had they been forced into the building? Were they too far away?

Whatever the reason, he remembered his brother's grave words to not ever split up. If it was as dangerous as Edward made it sound to do so, Alphonse needed to find his mother or his half-brother fast.

Alphonse punched one man in the stomach and chopped another in the throat, trying not to panic. Where were they? Someone grabbed his arms from behind and twisted them into a painful position. Alphonse held back a cry of pain, seeing another woman running up to attack him, and let his weight drop him to the ground. Then he somersaulted and used a vaulting kick to propel the restraining man over his head and right into the woman. Alphonse stood up and wrung out his arms, and three more people were around him, ready to fight.

Would the procession of gang members never end? And where were Izumi and Envy?

Alphonse realized with a sinking heart that he was completely surrounded. What seemed like dozens of evil faces looked back at him. He punched and kicked and jabbed and chopped and dodged, trying to ignore that his breath was getting short. His attention wavered for the briefest of moments, but that was enough. A huge fist came out of nowhere and connected with his cheek, sending him flying.

A tree stopped him. Alphonse let himself slide down, his cheek throbbing and the back of his head beginning to complain. People crowded around him, and Alphonse got back to his feet, only to be kicked in the stomach and knocked down on his side. He wrapped an arm protectively around his stomach as he attempted to get his breath back.

"We've got this one. You and you take care of that woman and Envy," someone said over him. Footsteps moved away.

A heavy boot put itself on the side of his head. Alphonse grimaced, bracing himself to have his head ground into the dirt, when one of the almost continuous gunshots from above was accompanied by the jerking of the man that boot belonged to. He fell backwards, and Alphonse scrambled to his feet, recognizing that Riza or Edward had saved him.

Quickly, Alphonse lashed out with a foot and kicked one of the remaining gang members in the stomach. His five companions or so rounded on Alphonse, but one jerked and fell down, blood pooling around her head. Alphonse used the most powerful moves Izumi had taught him to quickly bring his opponents down, which included a heavy drop-kick, an impact-style punch, and something resembling the German suplex.

When the last one fell, Alphonse was given a brief moment to catch his breath. His stomach hurt, and so did his head, but not as badly as his cheek, which now felt hot. He swallowed down the pain, rolled his neck, and ran to get back into the fight.

* * *

Riza always made every shot count, but this time it was more crucial. She aimed for areas that would put her opponents out of commission for good. Edward, meanwhile, watched her back. His handgun wasn't accurate enough for him to snipe along with her.

More and more gang members fell under Riza's bullets. She finished bringing down a couple who were ganging up on a bravely fighting Alphonse, and then with a sinking heart heard a click.

"I'm out," Riza said, swinging the rifle off the ledge.

Edward heaved a sigh. "Then there's nothing we can do but go back down and join the fight," he said determinedly, holding his own handgun out to her. "How many guns do you have?"

"Including yours, four," Riza said, accepting the gun and sliding it into the holster, then reaching down and picking up her own gun. She didn't mention where the other two were hidden.

"Okay." Edward ran a hand through his blond bangs in a frustrated gesture.

Riza automatically reached out and smoothed his hair where he had messed it up. "We'll be fine, don't worry," she told him.

Edward looked up at her, and a brief smile crossed his face. The sound of another round of gunshots returned them to the present, and as one they turned and hurried to the trapdoor that led downstairs.

* * *

"Do you think we won yet?" Roth whispered when there was a lull in the noise outside the kitchen.

"I hope so," Winry whispered back.

Just as she said it, something rammed into the door on the other side. Winry and Roth both screamed, then slapped their hands over their mouths.

Whoever had run into the door was silent for a moment, then there was a shuddering pound on the door. Winry snatched up a wrench in one hand and the knife block in the other, and Roth shakily grabbed a frying pan. There was another pound, which rattled the door in its hinges.

"Go," Winry whispered urgently, gesturing to the makeshift cover behind the counter. Roth dashed to safety, and Winry pressed her back against the wall the door was on, wrench at the ready.

Two more pounds, the last followed with a loud crack, and then the door was rammed open. Someone took one step inside, and Winry immediately swung her wrench. It connected with the stranger's head with a satisfying clang, and he fell to the ground.

"Hey!" Two more people dashed in. Winry managed to catch one more with her wrench, but the other ducked a wild swing and grabbed Winry's wrist. "Knock it off, brat," the gang member snapped.

Winry tried unsuccessfully to break her wrist free from the woman's grasp. She lifted the knife block in her other hand and threw it at the woman. The latter dodged, but the semi-heavy wood hit her on the shoulder, which loosened her grip on Winry's arm. Winry snatched her wrist free and knocked the woman out with a swing of the wrench.

"Roth, come on!" Winry yelled. Roth peeked out from behind the counter and, seeing that it was safe, hurried out. Winry grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the other end of the kitchen.

"Stop right there!" Winry heard a click and froze. Roth turned first and saw the man pointing a gun at Winry's back. He yelped and hid behind her.

The man approached, gun leveled. "Not another step, you two," he said. "Drop your crap."

Winry swallowed hard, her fingers unwilling to release the wrench.

"I said now," the man said.

Winry started to turn to face him, but a stain on the cupboard nearest to her caught her attention. Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't a stain, but a note addressed to her.

_Winry--  
__Open this cupboard if you get caught.  
__Edward_

Winry hoped there was something in there that would help defend her. She turned around to face the man, then gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Oh my gosh!" she cried, pointing at the kitchen entrance.

The man whirled towards the kitchen entrance, and Winry took two quick steps and threw open the counter. Something burst out, and she jumped back and pushed Roth backwards. A fire extinguisher unexpectedly shot out and connected with the man's chest. He fell to the ground but wasn't out, and his hands weakly gripped the gun and raised it. Roth then used his frying pan to smack the man's gun-holding hand. The man released the gun with a curse, and Winry hit him with the wrench once more, this time knocking him out for good.

The door to the cupboard swung slowly, and Winry saw more words written on the inside.

_Hey Winry--  
__If the springloaded fire extinguisher did the trick, head to the laundry room. There's more safety measures in there.  
__Edward_

"Way to go, Roth," Winry said as she pulled him in the direction of the laundry room again. _Thanks, Edward,_ she thought, realizing that he had thought ahead for her.

"He had it coming," Roth replied.

* * *

As well as Izumi, Envy, and Alphonse did battle with gang members near the front doors, once their snipers stopped sniping, they started getting outnumbered. Gang members were slipping around the sides of the building, using secret entrances to get inside.

Inside, Roy was holding his own fairly well, with Hohenheim to back him up. But gang members were slipping past their notice as well. Sheer numbers were what gave the gang an advantage.

Riza and Edward had just made it down to the third floor when a door in the hall in front of them opened, and several gang members came out, most of them armed.

"Damn," Edward said as at least seven guns were leveled at him and Riza.

Greed walked casually into the hall. "Well, well, it was worth all the effort just to see that look on your face, Pridey," he said smugly.

"Shut up," Edward snapped.

"Let's see some hands," Greed said as a reply.

Riza didn't comply, leaving her hands at her sides. Edward crossed his arms, scowling.

"What? You think I'm kidding?" Greed nodded at one of the armed men, who lifted his gun and aimed it directly at Riza's face. "Hands up or the gun-toting chick gets one between the eyes."

Edward presented Greed with a glare hard enough to shatter a brick wall. He slowly lifted his hands--and then, in one quick move, grabbed the doorknob next to him, threw open the door, and yanked Riza behind its relative safety. He wasn't a moment too soon, for bullets began chipping off pieces of the door in the very same second.

Riza, just inside the room, bided her time, then got down on the floor and fired around the door twice. According to the cries of pain, she hit the mark both times.

"Don't let them get away!" Greed yelled.

"Come on!" Edward exclaimed. Riza got back to her feet and slammed the door shut, which plunged them into darkness.

"Edward...where are we?"

"One of the cells. Hang on." There was a rattling noise, then a clatter as something metal fell onto the hard floor. "We'll climb through the air vent," Edward's voice said.

They both flattened themselves against the wall as bullets started popping through the door. "Just creep to your right until you reach the wall," Edward's voice said.

Riza nodded, though he couldn't see it, and took careful steps to her right, keeping herself as flat against the wall as possible. The bullets were flying so close, she could feel the currents of air they created as they whizzed by, pinging into the opposite wall. She heard what sounded like Edward repeatedly kicking metal and realized he was climbing into the vent. She kept going until her shoulder touched the wall, then reached up. Her fingers found the rectangular hole in the wall easily, which reached down to her chin. She felt Edward's hands grab her arms, and second later, she was climbing into the vent.

"Where to?" Riza asked him.

"Just follow the sound of my banging," Edward said as he proceeded to start banging.

* * *

"Stop what you're doing!"

Izumi whirled, not about to do any such thing, and in fact intending to pound the owner of the voice into a pulp, but she froze when she saw the woman who had spoken. Said woman was standing over Alphonse, who was lying stomach-down on the ground. She had a gun pressed firmly to the top of his head.

"Hands up," the woman snapped, "or I shoot this kid."

Izumi's glare was so fierce it could have set Alaska on fire. "Touch a hair on his head and I will tear you limb from limb," she promised dangerously.

"I'm the one giving orders! Hands up!"

Not wanting to see her son's brains blown out, Izumi complied, though in a nearly blinding rage. Alphonse had his eyes squeezed shut, as if expecting to be shot at any second. His face was swelling, and so was his wrist. A trickle of blood ran from his nose.

"Loa, get in there and stop that guy who keeps slinging people around," the woman said to a hulking man carrying a mallet. The man grunted in affirmation and walked unhindered into the building.

One of the men Izumi had been beating up got back to his feet and twisted her arms behind her back rather painfully. Izumi kept her eyes trained fiercely on the woman threatening Alphonse's life.

The woman grabbed Alphonse by the back of his shirt and hauled him to his feet, keeping the gun pressed against his temple. Alphonse stumbled on the way up, but managed to rise, wiping his nose before raising his hands as well.

"All right," the woman said. "Since you both surrendered, we'll be nice and kill you quickly. Try to struggle and--"

She was cut off by the sound of a gunshot. Her body jerked, and a hole appeared in the side of her head. Izumi felt the grip on her arms loosen, and she took the opportunity to whirl and punch her restrainer right in his face. He fell backwards, and another gunshot and a cry of pain made Izumi turn.

The woman had collapsed to the ground, her head bleeding. Alphonse had jumped away from her as soon as she started to fall, but now he clutched his upper arm, grimacing.

"Did she shoot you?" Izumi exclaimed, at his side in a flash.

Alphonse let go of his arm to look, which made him hiss in pain. A bloodstain was rapidly spreading over his right sleeve, halfway between the shoulder and elbow. Izumi ripped the sleeve apart to get a better look as Envy stepped out from hiding behind a tree, a gun in hand. "It's just a flesh wound," Izumi said in relief.

"It _feels_ like I got shot," Alphonse said, his voice strained with pain.

Envy handed the gun he had stolen to Izumi. "He should get back to the car," he said to her. "Before his condition gets worse."

Izumi nodded, then turned to her son and scooped him up into her arms.

"Mom, I--"

"Not a word. You've done enough." Izumi turned to Envy. "You can handle it?"

Envy glanced around. Bodies littered the grass. "I'll join them inside," he said.

Izumi nodded and hurried towards where they had parked the armored cars. Envy took off in the other direction, heading for the building.

* * *

"Hey there," Roy said. He eyed the dangerous-looking mallet that the massive man carried. "You wouldn't consider putting that down and fighting me man-to-man?"

In response, the man, or Loa, swung his mallet at Roy's head. Roy dodged it and nearly lost his footing. Loa swung at him again, and Roy had to let himself fall to avoid it. He saw the mallet driving towards his head and quickly rolled away, hearing the slam as the mallet's head hit the concrete floor.

"Any time you'd like to shoot him would be great, Hohenheim," he grumbled as he got back to his feet. Loa was brandishing a weapon with a long handle. Roy's skills were only for close quarters. Unless Roy could get his hands on a gun very quickly, he was outmatched.

Hohenheim, meanwhile, had his hands full trying not to get shot by the six or so remaining armed gang members. They, like him, had all taken cover behind things big and sturdy, and they were all now engaged in a game of duck-and-fire. Hohenheim did more ducking than firing, and it was hard to hit anyone when they were all hiding. He grimaced as more chunks of his table were bitten off by enemy gunfire. He barely had any more room to hide. He'd need better cover soon.

Loa silently swung the mallet again, and Rou barely managed to dodge. He reached out lightning-quick and grabbed the stem of the mallet. Loa merely heaved the mallet with all his strength, yanking Roy into the air.

Roy gritted his teeth. Whether he let go or not, this promised to be painful. He chose to let go and went flying. One of the gang members who had been hiding aimed her gun at him as he sailed through the air.

The doors suddenly burst open, temporarily diverting everyone's attention. A shot-up car came careening through the entrance, half knocking one door off its hinges. Its tires screeching, the car drove towards Loa at top speed. Loa lifted his mallet and brought it down towards the hood of the car, but a split second before impact, the car barreled into his midsection, carrying him backwards into a tall stack of boxes. The boxes fell all around Loa and the front half of the car, obscuring both from view.

During this time, Roy had managed to make it back down to the ground. He slowed his fall down by grabbing onto a support pole, and somehow avoided injury. Jumping up, he hurried over to the scene of the collision. He was about ten feet away when a familiar bare foot kicked open the front door. Envy popped out, having exchanged his baggy black shirt for something which resembled his usual halter top, though he still wore the black pants from before.

"They had an extra?" Roy commented dryly.

"Yes. Just my size," Envy replied just as dryly. "Where's NRA and Pr--Edward?"

"I don't know. I haven't heard anything from them," Roy said.

Gunfire exploded behind them, and they both instinctively dived behind the car. "Where are Izumi and Alphonse?" Roy asked.

"Back in the cars. We got rid of everyone outside," Envy said. "Can you and the bastard handle this floor?"

Roy picked up some heavy metal object that had fallen out of one of the broken crates. He stood up and hurled it at one of the not-so-hidden gunmen. It was a clean hit, knocking the man out instantly. "Yep, we're good," he said.

"Then I'll go look for them." Envy pulled a pair of black gloves from the compartment on the inside of the car door and put them on to protect his hands. He then turned and swiftly climbed the half-fallen pile of boxes, using them to get up to the top level. Roy watched to make sure no one shot him in the back, then picked up some more heavy things and waited.

* * *

Riza and Edward had been making progress crawling through the air vents, at least they hoped. Edward had accidentally gotten them turned around, and now they were attempting to get to the first floor. They didn't hear the sounds of any battle, so they knew they weren't close yet.

Suddenly a bullet shot through the air vent, from the bottom, which cast a tiny shaft of light. Riza started in surprise. More bullets followed, making more shafts of light.

"They're trying to break the vent!" Edward exclaimed.

Riza had just come to that conclusion. She gripped her gun in her right hand, just as one well-placed shot weakened the air vent enough to break it. Its bottom snapped open like an eggshell, and Riza felt herself sliding downwards. More gunshots followed, specifically aimed for the top part, which was beginning to rend.

"Oh, damn! Damn!" Edward yelled as he vainly tried to keep himself from sliding backwards towards the new hole.

With a horrible, metallic groan, the air vent snapped in half. It had been suspended near the ceiling of a tall room, which gave the two sides plenty of space to swing downwards, now succumbing to gravity. Riza's hands reached and grasped the jagged ending as her legs swung out into open space. The uneven metal cut into her hands. Her handgun dropped from her fingers. She looked down and saw at least a dozen people, most armed.

The air vent slammed into the wall, which broke Riza's grip. She fell about ten feet to the concrete floor, hearing gunshots and what sounded like several people being hit with a frying pan. She saw the floor rushing up towards her and threw her arms in front of her face, trying to shield her head.

Her arms hit the floor first, soon followed by the rest of her body. Riza flipped onto her back, wincing as a sore throbbing spread up her arms. Her right pinky felt like it had been pulled clean off. She ignored all pain and rose to her feet, getting out a second gun.

The people's attention was focused on Edward, who was beating the crap out of them as well as he could. His right arm, she noticed, was not being used but remained at his side, and she wondered if he had broken something as she cocked her gun and shot three people with three shots in about one second.

Some attention was diverted to her, but Riza merely repaid their attention with bullets between their eyes. Edward was just tangling with the last two standing people when Riza sensed a presence near her and whirled, gun at the ready.

Greed had arrived when she wasn't looking, and now he kicked the gun out of her hand. Riza jumped backwards and pulled out her third gun. Greed was a bit faster and grabbed her firing arm, slamming it against the wall. Riza gritted her teeth, but didn't release her gun. Greed realized that and slammed her arm against the wall again.

Riza bit back a yell of pain as the gun dropped from her sore fingers. She reached with her left hand, her free one, and whipped out her fourth gun. She had pointed it in Greed's face and pulled the trigger, but in close quarters her accuracy wasn't as dead-on. He was able to dodge so that the bullet simply grazed his chin. In one quick move, Greed had his hand around Riza's neck and had shoved her against the wall, lifting her up enough that her feet cleared the floor. He used his free hand to smack her last gun away.

"I told you it wasn't over, didn't I?" Greed said, a sick grin on his face.

For the first time since the fight began, Riza felt the beginning of panic. All her guns were out of her reach. She gripped his wrist with both hands and attempted to free herself, but his iron grip was too strong. Already she could feel her throat closing in on itself, and her chest started to hurt for lack of air. Greed was squeezing her neck with a vengeance.

Riza aimed a kick at Greed's shoulder, but she had excelled in guns, not fighting, so it caused him pain, but not enough to make him let go.

"Now you're gonna pay for when you shot me, you bitch," Greed sneered. "You remember that, right? When you interrupted my conversation with Pride."

"His--name is--Edward," Riza found herself saying automatically. That used up the last of her air, and her feet kicked against the wall as she tried to break free. She felt her head getting light.

"RIZA!" Edward's yell caught her attention, and she looked away from Greed to see the 15-year-old running headlong towards them. At some point, Envy had joined him, and was only a step behind.

With dismay, Riza realized her vision was tunneling. She stretched out a hand to Edward, and she saw that it was shaking.

_I'm dying...oh no, I'm dying..._

Greed looked absolutely overjoyed to be the cause of her death. Riza wanted to kick him again, but her legs weren't responding. She saw the door behind them open, and caught the glint of a gun.

_No...Edward! Envy! Behind you!_

She tried to shout a warning, but all she got was a croak. Her vision receded further, until it was nothing but darkness. She couldn't feel Greed's death grip on her throat anymore.

The gunshot was the last thing she heard.

* * *

Edward heard the gunshot too, but his focus was completely on saving Riza. Her eyes closed, and her hand dropped, and Greed was just beginning to laugh.

"BASTARD!" Edward roared, leaping into the air. He grabbed Greed by the head with his feet and twisted his body hard in mid-air. The move twisted Greed's head and slammed it directly into the concrete. He released Riza, and she collapsed on the ground.

Edward raced to her side, lifting her head off the floor. "Riza! Say something! Please!" he begged.

She didn't respond.

Envy made it over by then, his breath labored from running so fast. "Dammit, NRA," he growled.

Edward swallowed, and looked up at Envy. He then did a double take. "Envy--you got shot!"

"What?" Envy touched his left shoulder, which was bleeding profusely. It seemed to be a flesh wound, a deep gash which stretched from the back to the front of his shoulder. He kind of stared at it for a moment, then turned. Edward followed his gaze to see who held the gun.

"Hello, boys," Dante said from the doorway, gun still leveled.

All the blood drained from both Edward's and Envy's faces. "Mother," Envy spat, the original fear quickly replaced with anger.

Dante smiled coldly at him. "Not expecting to see me?"

"I _never_ wanted to see you again."

"I'm so glad you haven't lost your way with words," Dante said.

Before Envy could get another word in, she had fired again. Edward jumped, but Envy didn't move. There was a moment's silence.

Envy stared down at his chest. This time it wasn't a flesh wound. A dark stain began to rapidly spread across his top, turning red when it got to his exposed stomach. He remained standing for a full five seconds before toppling backwards.

"Envy!" Edward screamed, reaching out to catch him with his good arm. Envy fell onto his brother's outstretched arm, staring up at the ceiling, stunned. "Talk to me, dammit! Say something!"

"...Ow," Envy managed to say, before his eyes started to flutter.

"Envy! Envy! Keep your eyes open!" Edward yelled at him.

Envy's eyes began clouding over. He managed to shift his gaze to Edward, and then, strangely, smiled. "Knew it..."

"Just hang on, will you? I'll get you out of here!" Edward cried.

"Knew I was...gonna die somehow," Envy said in the general direction of Edward's hair.

"Shut up! Don't say that! You'll be fine!"

"Go to school, Ed," Envy said, before letting his eyes slide shut.

"ENVY! DON'T YOU DARE!" Edward screamed, tears filling his eyes.

Envy didn't respond.

* * *

Ahm…sorry. I don't mean to write cliffhangers when I sit down; they just sort of happen. But it kind of seems like not having a cliffhanger wouldn't do the action justice. Know what I mean?

Anyway, thanks for stopping by. See you next time!


	16. Last Round Of Chance

Ah...what can I say but, sorry?

I didn't mean to fall off a cliff, especially with such a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, life can catch up to a person, hands can get injured, and floppy disks can hold your chapters hostage. If you somehow manage to defeat that, like me, you can update your fics. But anyway.

Thanks to **Guardian Angel of Wolves, YourFavoritePlushie, Bar-Ohki, corkxrew, Dark Reborn, Call-me-Lie-chan, Phantom SonsSung, tiggeranddash, Muria, Marie blaze, Phantom of the Pie, Love's Labour Won, A.YamiYugi, Houran, Took-Baggins**, and **Synneofthesun** for reviewing. If you're still around, thanks for the patience. Hopefully this won't happen again without warning.

Now, to dispel that cliffie, eh?

* * *

**16: Last Round Of Chance**

"_Mother_," Envy spat, the original fear now replaced with anger.

Dante smiled coldly at him. "Not expecting to see me?"

"I _never_ wanted to see you again."

"I'm so glad you haven't lost your way with words," Dante said.

Before Envy could get another word in, she had fired again. Edward jumped, but Envy didn't move. There was a moment's silence.

Envy stared down at his chest. This time it wasn't a flesh wound. A black stain began to rapidly spread across his shirt, turning red when it got to his exposed stomach. He remained standing for a full five seconds before toppling backwards.

"Envy!" Edward screamed, reaching out to catch him with his good arm. Envy fell into his outstretched arm, staring up at the ceiling, stunned. "Talk to me, dammit! Say something!"

"...Ow," Envy managed to say, before his eyes started to flutter.

"Envy! Envy! Keep your eyes open!" Edward yelled at him.

Envy's eyes began clouding over. He managed to shift his gaze to Edward, and then, strangely, smiled. "Knew it..."

"Just hang on, will you? I'll get you out of here!" Edward cried.

"Knew I was...gonna die somehow," Envy said in the general direction of Edward's hair.

"Shut up! Don't say that! You'll be fine!"

"Go to school, Ed," Envy said, before letting his eyes slide shut.

"ENVY! DON'T YOU DARE!" Edward screamed, tears filling his eyes.

Envy didn't respond.

"DAMMIT!" Edward pounded his fist onto the concrete and winced. The tears broke and slid down his cheeks. Beside him, Riza lay motionless, finger-shaped bruises wrapped around her neck. Edward let Envy go, and Envy slid to the floor.

Edward covered his face with his good hand. How fair was this? Riza had done nothing but be kind to him, and in the end, he was the death of her just as he had thought he would be. And Envy...killed by his own mother. Why did fate have to be so cruel towards them both? Why did they have to die, and why right in front of him?

"Pride."

Edward flinched. He didn't look. Dante was closer.

"Pride, look at me."

"So you can shoot me between the eyes?" he said in the direction of Envy's face.

Dante herself moved, directly in front of him. Her heels were nearly touching Envy's arm. "Do you see now?" she said. "This is what happens when division comes to the family."

"No!" Edward glared up at her. "This isn't my fault. You can't put this on me!"

"But it was your decision to run away. This woman would not be dead if she had not met you."

Edward stiffened, and tried to avoid looking at Riza. "And so you shooting Envy is my fault too?" he growled at her knees.

"Why would I harm my son if he hadn't turned against me in your interest?"

"Stop it!" Edward yelled, covering his ears. "I didn't do this to them! _You_ did!"

"In the defense of myself and my family," Dante answered. "I couldn't be expected to leave your group to destroy us. You understand, don't you? All of the deaths before and after this very moment lay on your shoulders."

"No they don't!" Edward sprang to his feet. "This isn't my fault!" He said the words loudly enough, but the tremor in his voice betrayed his uncertainty.

Dante looked down at Riza and Envy. "Such bloodshed," she said. "Such pain, such death. Such tragedy. And why, Pride? Tell me why."

Edward squeezed his eyes shut. "It's not my fault," he managed to say.

"It is because your mind was focused on yourself," Dante said. "You found fault with the only family who strove to accept you, and you left us. Then you gather others and attack. This entire battle is of your own doing."

Edward fell on his knees and covered his face with his hand again. His shoulders shook with raw emotion.

"Your actions are reprehensible and should be punished severely," Dante said, looking down at his bent head. "However, I have mercy for you. I will forgive your transgressions if you turn away from the path you've chosen and take your place in the family again."

"I can't," Edward whispered. "Riza did so much to save me. She..."

"She died chasing a futureless cause," Dante said without any sympathy. "She was an outsider. Pride, your place is with us." She bent down and extended a hand. "Return to my side, and you can begin again."

Edward's hand dropped into his lap. He didn't look up.

"You have no other place," Dante said. "Do you honestly believe this woman's husband will forgive you after you caused her death? Do you think your younger brother will accept a murderer? There is no one, no one at all who will take you as you are but us."

"I just wanted--" Edward began, but he stopped. He lifted his head enough to look up at Dante through his messed bangs. His eyes were red, and he seemed to be holding back tears. His good hand slowly lifted from his lap and stretched out to hers.

Dante resisted a smile of triumph and held her hand out further to meet his.

* * *

_Winry--  
__Problem? Open the dryer.  
__Edward_

Winry flung open the dryer door. A springloaded bottle of bleach came flying out and bashed her attacker in the stomach. It was open, so bleach poured from the bottle and all over the man's legs.

"Now get out!" Winry yelled, clonking him with her wrench. He stumbled backwards out of the laundry room entrance, and she slammed the door.

"Man, Edward is so cool!" Roth said excitedly.

Winry couldn't agree more. Edward had laid out an entire series of traps to aid them in case gang members ganged up on them. And every single one had worked. On a scale of 1 to 10, his awesomeness was about a 27 and rising.

There was a terrible scream outside the laundry room door, and Winry figured out that the bleach must have been fast-acting. Then there were a couple of punching noises, and a thud.

Sig opened the laundry room door. He had a few scratches and bruises, but was otherwise fine. "Are you all right?" he rumbled.

"We're totally alive!" Roth cheered. "Did we win?"

"Yes. The last of them has been neutralized."

Winry let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Then we're safe?" she questioned.

"Yes."

"All right!" Winry and Roth slapped a high five.

"Miss Douglas and Clara are in the living room," Sig rumbled. "Follow me."

The three of them wandered through the house. Bodies littered the floor here and there, and lots of things were scratched, dented, broken. In the living room, the bodies had been cleared out. Juliet, looking as though there hadn't been a huge brawl in her house, and Clara, who was even less injured than Sig, waited for them.

"I'm glad you guys are safe," Juliet said warmly.

"So are we," Winry sighed.

"What now?" Roth asked, brushing some dust off of his shirt. "Do we have to, like, clean up this place? Because that sucks. It's a mess. I mean, there's bodies all over the pla--"

"Roth," Sig boomed.

Roth shut up.

"We're going to Clara's house," Juliet said. "There, we'll set up the infirmary and wait for the others to call."

"What about here?" Winry asked.

"I've got that covered. Are we ready to go?"

There were nods.

"Okay, let's move out," Clara said, rolling her neck.

Winry followed the adults as they all left the house. She couldn't believe their side of the battle was over, and everyone was still in great shape. If they had been this prepared, then Edward's group should have won easily. Winry certainly hoped so. She wanted a chance to tell Edward how awesome she currently thought he was.

* * *

If Roy had been one iota angrier, then there wouldn't have been any warning shot. As it was, he fired before he got a good scope of the situation.

Dante and Edward jumped away from each other as the bullet whizzed through the small space between their hands. Both heads snapped towards the entrance.

Roy had his gun pointed directly at Dante. "Back away from Edward," he said in a steely tone.

"Roy," Edward whispered, with a mix of fear, surprise, and hope.

"Mr. Mustang," Dante said, smiling as though she had the whole world on strings. "I see you're alive. So I take this to mean Loa is dead?"

"Damn straight," Roy snapped. "What the hell have you done?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Dante cast a look down at Riza and Envy, then back up at Roy. He had caught sight of his wife, which was the cause of his current fury. "Ah, this must be about the death of your wife, am I right?"

Roy was about to shoot her for being so flippant about killing the love of his life, but he then noticed the gun in the hand she hadn't been holding out to Edward. She lifted this gun now and pressed it directly to Edward's temple, which caused him to stiffen.

"Shoot me if you'd like, Mr. Mustang," Dante said smugly. "But, judging from the first words you spoke when you made your dramatic entrance, you really don't wish to see Edward die, am I right?"

Roy wished Hohenheim was up here to possibly sneak by Dante's notice. But the other man was downstairs, nursing a head injury that had left him dizzy.

"I'm skilled enough that even if I were to die instantly from your bullet, I would still be quick enough to pull the trigger," Dante said, "and blow this little fool's brains out." With her other hand she reached down and grabbed a fistful of Edward's hair, pulling on it so hard that the 15-year-old cried out.

"Leave him alone!" Roy yelled, his fury reaching a boiling point.

"But why, Mr. Mustang? His life is mine. I took this pathetic insect off the streets and gave him a home. He repaid my kindness by running away, just like his bastard of a father." The mild, world-on-strings expression was still on Dante's face, but her voice held an edge sharp enough to cut. "Worse still, he convinced my pathetic son to run away with him. The idiots thought to make a life for themselves outside of the family."

Dante's sadistic side was in full view. She grabbed the collar of Edward's shirt and pulled it hard, causing it to rip after a few painful seconds of biting into Edward's neck. She tore it enough to display the tattoo on Edward's left shoulder. "This mark here is given to every Chosen when they join the family. It symbolizes a lifelong commitment. The unspoken rule is that if this commitment is broken, there will be _death_."

"_Let_ _him_ _go_," Roy seethed, wanting to fill her full of holes.

Dante got down on one knee so she could be nearer to Edward. Gun still pressing painfully against his head, she wrapped her free fingers around his injured wrist. Edward clenched his teeth together to avoid crying out in pain as she purposely squeezed it. "When this piece of trash took this tattoo, he gave his life to me," she said. "I can do whatever I want with him. I'm afraid, Mr. Mustang, that there's little you can do."

"You think you've still won?" Roy snapped. "Just about your entire gang is dead. And I'm going to blow your brains out if it's the last thing I do."

"Perhaps," Dante said, as if it didn't matter. "Then we shall all die together." She cocked the gun. "Edward can be the first."

She pulled the trigger.

"No!" Roy yelled, his finger moving to squeeze his own trigger. The gunshot echoed through the room, silencing any words.

Roy remained where he was, eyes wide, gun still outstretched. He hadn't fired. Why hadn't he fired? Edward's face was as white as a sheet, and he had squeezed his eyes shut. Roy waited, unable to move, watching for Edward to fall over, to reveal the hole in his head, to die in front of him.

Edward didn't move.

Roy was finally able to tear his eyes away from Edward to Dante, to see if she had simply been toying with him, using blanks or something. His eyes fell on her just as she toppled over, a red stain spreading on her back. Her fingers fell from Edward's wrist, and the gun dropped. Edward immediately scrambled away.

With both Edward and Dante out of the way, Roy could now see who had fired the shot.

Riza.

"Riza..." Edward breathed, his voice barely audible.

Riza had returned to consciousness and sat up while no one was paying attention to her. Her face was pale, and her throat looked ghastly, and her entire body was shaking from the effort of sitting up, but her face held the determined look it always got when she was firing the gun. Her shooting arm stuck straight out, holding the gun which had a trail of smoke lazily curling up from the barrel.

"Riza!" Roy exclaimed, snapping himself out of his stupor. He found himself able to move again and raced to her side. Riza lowered her gun and held herself up with both hands, immediately erupting into the coughing fit she had been able to hold off so she could stay out of notice.

Roy dropped to his knees in front of his wife and hugged her fiercely. "You're all right," he said, his voice full of relief.

"Now who's being moody?" Riza said, her voice weak and raspy.

"Oh, God, Riza, this is no time for joking. I thought you were _dead_."

"So did I." Riza coughed a few more times, forcing her lungs to behave normally. "I think I sprained my pinky."

"Who cares about your damn _pinky_?"

Roy finally let her go to examine her. Her pinky was indeed turning purple and swelling. The bruises up and down her neck were becoming more defined, and her hands had cuts from the jagged air vent edge. Roy himself was sporting a burn on his left arm, a bruise on his right shoulder, and a cut under his left eye that kept bleeding. But they were alive.

"I'm fine," Riza said, reaching out to wipe the blood off his face.

"Keep telling yourself that," Roy said, trying to cover up the desire to cry with his usual wit.

Riza suddenly stiffened and turned. Roy followed her gaze to Edward, who was kneeling a ways away from them, cradling his right arm. His face was hidden behind his bangs, and his hair was starting to slip out of his braid, several strands hanging over his shoulders.

"Edward," Riza began, startling to crawl over to him.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"You didn't do anything," Riza assured him.

"This is my fault. It's all my fault. You guys are hurt, and Envy is--Envy is--" He sucked in his breath and burst into sobs.

Riza quickened her pace and when she reached him, pulled him into a hug. "I killed him! I killed my own brother!" Edward sobbed into her shoulder. "It's like I can't do anything but hurt everybody I care about! Why did I have to be born? Who thought it would be fun to send me into the world so I could _kill_ all the people I want to protect!"

Roy glanced over at Envy's motionless form. Envy sure looked dead. The gunshot wound in his chest seemed to have stopped bleeding, but lying in a pool of his own blood was pretty ghastly.

Riza said nothing to Edward, but merely held him as he said "I'm sorry" over and over.

* * *

_Edward tried to ignore the lightning and thunder outside the window. Rain beat against the glass, like it was trying to get in. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and held his hands over his ears. He tried to pretend there weren't tears running down his face, and that he wasn't afraid. But he was._

_He had had to battle his fear every time there was a storm. Being on his own, and usually out in the storm, he had been practically scarred for life. Lightning and thunder filled him with so much fear he could hardly stand it. It had to be a full-blown phobia by now._

_"Please stop, please stop," he whispered over and over. He sensed a flash behind his closed eyes, but didn't have enough time to prepare before a window-rattling crack made him jump. He worked not to scream as his whole body shook._

_He thought he had heard a voice, but the thunder had scared away any other thoughts but fear. So when two arms wrapped around him, he jumped nearly a mile._

_"Calm down. It's me." Envy's calm voice was the exact opposite of how Edward felt at the moment. "It's just bright lights and loud noises, okay? It's not going to hurt you or anything."_

_"I'm still scared," Edward trembled. "I just can't--I-I can't stand it. It's too bright. It's too loud."_

_Another flash, and he tensed. But just as the thunder barked, he heard Envy scream, "CRAP ON A STICK WITH BEANS!" Being much closer to Edward than the thunder, his voice drowned it out just a little bit._

_Edward opened his eyes a bit to peer up at the 15-year-old. "Wh-Whah...?"_

_Envy looked down at him. "What? It helps to try and drown out the noise with some noise of your own," he said. "I do it all the time."_

_"You're--you're scared of the thunder too?"_

_"A little. It's damn startling, especially if you're not prepared," Envy said._

_Edward swallowed. "Will you--could you--?"_

_"Hang out until the rain stops? Sure, why not. Move over; my feet are freezing."_

_Edward scooted over in bed a little bit, and Envy tossed back the covers and slid in. He kept an arm protectively around Edward's shoulders as he pulled the covers back up and settled into a relaxed position._

_Lightning flashed outside the window, and Edward winced. He grabbed two fistfuls of Envy's nightshirt and hid his face in Envy's side. A moment later, the thunder boomed, but it wasn't as loud as Envy's "PENNIES WITH PURPLE HIGHLIGHTS!"_

_"What does that even mean?" Edward dared to ask when the noise had died down._

_Envy shrugged. "Nothing really, just whatever I come up with at the moment. If you're able to find something funny to think about, you don't get so worried about fear."_

_"And it...works?"_

_"Yep."_

_There was more lightning, and Edward flinched again. "Come on, try it," Envy said._

_So when the thunder boomed, Envy yelled, "HORSE ASS WITH POTATO SKINS!" and Edward yelled, "APPLES IN A PILLOW!"_

_"See?" Envy said._

_"I'm still scared," Edward mumbled, not having released his death grip on Envy's shirt._

_"Well, then we'll do it again next time. Try to think of something really wacky."_

_"Okay, I'll try."_

* * *

"Riza, Edward," Roy said. "You might want to see this."

Riza looked up. "What is it?"

Roy pointed at Envy's chest, which was moving. "I don't think he's dead yet."

Edward's head snapped up like it was springloaded, tears streaking across his ears from the movement. He quickly scrambled to his feet and hurried to Envy's side. "Envy?" he cried, his voice bordering on panic. "Envy? Envy?"

"I said he wasn't dead, but I think he's still unconscious," Roy said.

"Let's get him to the cars, quickly," Riza said.

Roy carefully slid one arm under Envy's shoulders, and one under his knees, and lifted him off the ground. Riza got up also, going to Edward's side and putting an arm around his shoulders. Edward's eyes were fixed on Envy's chest, which continued to move, though only slightly. Roy was moving as quickly as he could without jostling Envy's body.

_Stay alive, Envy, stay alive. Stay alive. Please stay alive. Please. Please. Please._

* * *

I did it again. Whoops.  
Well, at least I'm back now, so the wait won't be as long next time. That's good, right?  
If you haven't abandoned me, I'll see you next time.

* * *


	17. Period Of Recovery

Hello, everyone. Sorry for the wait. I just got back from a nice family vacation to Amelia Island. If any of you are that person I spilled my milkshake on, sorry. (bows)

So, now, thanks to **Houran, YourFavoritePlushie, tiggeranddash, Horselvr4evr, Phantom SunsSong, Bar-Ohki, An. Abrupt. Statement., Took-Baggins, Marie blaze, DoGDeMoNMiZuka, Little Patch of Heaven, Muria** and **Sirus Maram** for reviewing. Now we move along like happy little readers who are completely sane…

Er, story time!

* * *

**17: Period Of Recovery**

"You have a concussion," Clara announced.

"Really? Are you sure it's not just a migraine?" Hohenheim asked, wincing as Winry wrapped another layer of bandage around his head.

"I'm the doctor, so you have a concussion," Clara told him. "And your wrist is sprained."

"It was from all the times he was bitch-slapping people," Roy piped up.

Hohenheim glared at him. "I am still your boss."

"He's done," Winry announced.

"Thank you, Winry," Clara said. Winry nodded and, grabbing the box of bandages and two ice packs, went off to tend to Roy.

On the other side of the room, Izumi held ice packs against her bruised knuckles as Roth sat next to her, his arms still around her waist as they had been for hours. "So Dante is really dead?" Juliet asked.

Izumi nodded. "Once Roy had left with the first car, I went and checked. Dante is dead, and so are the majority of her gang members."

Juliet nodded. "After I had seen you all safely here, the police got an anonymous phone call giving them the location of the prison and all the bodies. Those who are alive will be taken to the hospital, and then to real prison."

"Good," Izumi said emphatically. "They all deserve it."

"Mom, I know I've said this probably a bunch of times, but I'm really glad you and Al and everybody didn't get killed," Roth said.

Izumi smiled down at her son. "So am I," she said.

* * *

"You don't have a concussion," Clara announced.

"Well, that's good," Alphonse said.

"However, you do have a bruised cheek, a flesh wound, a bruised wrist, and some really deep scratches," Clara said. She gave him an icepack to hold against his cheek while she tightly wrapped his wrist. "It might be a good idea to bathe in peroxide."

Alphonse stared at her. "I'm kidding," Clara said with a chuckle, patting his knee. "You're all done."

"Thank you, Miss Clara." Alphonse stood and bowed, then hurried into the next room, where Edward and Riza were.

They were exactly where he had left them--sitting in chairs next to Envy's bedside. All three had been treated and bandaged, with Envy having to undergo actual surgery to remove the bullet from his chest. Fortunately, Clara was well-versed in impromptu surgeries, and even had the equipment necessary, which Roy had bluntly said was creepy, but that they all appreciated.

Edward's wrist was broken, and he held it carefully in his lap. Unlike everyone else, he hadn't taken a shower and changed, and still wore his torn and bloody outfit from the battle. Riza sat next to him, an arm around his shoulders. They both silently watched over Envy, who was shirtless, unconscious, and paler than usual. His two bullet wounds were firmly wrapped, and if his chest hadn't been moving, he would have looked like a body in a casket.

Alphonse silently sat down in the chair on Edward's other side, and reached out and took his brother's good hand. Edward didn't seem to notice at first, but after a moment he weakly squeezed Alphonse's hand.

At this point in time, both Riza and Alphonse understood that words weren't going to do much. Edward hadn't said a single word to anyone since desperately saying his brother's name over and over back at the prison. Whatever he was thinking and feeling, he wasn't going to let anyone in on it until Envy's condition changed one way or the other. While the 20-year-old remained in this nearly comatose limbo, it seemed, both brothers would be silent.

* * *

**_Saturday, May 13th_**

Izumi knocked lightly and poked her head into the room. Riza glanced up from where she sat. Edward had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, his head resting on her shoulder. Alphonse had his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, and he looked tired. He blinked slowly when he noticed Izumi, then sat upright.

"Sig's here to pick us up," Izumi said to him. "Are you coming, or do you want to stay here?"

Alphonse hesitated. "Um..." He glanced at Riza. "I'll come." He stood up and stretched his stiff muscles. "Will you call me if anything changes, Miss Riza?"

"Of course. I'll tell Edward you said goodbye," Riza said.

Alphonse nodded, then put a hand on Edward's shoulder for a moment before heading to the door. "We'll see you later, Mrs. Mustang," Izumi said, ducking her head back out and closing the door behind Alphonse.

Riza nodded at the door, then turned back around to face the bed. Edward's head shifted on her shoulder, and she made sure it didn't slide off. Clara has just been in a few minutes ago, to check on Envy, and she said that his vital signs looked better. Riza sorely hoped that Envy recovered. She knew how much it would break Edward's heart if he didn't; plus, she wanted to get to know him better.

She woke up with a start sometime later, when someone knocked on the door. Edward had woken up, and their positions had been reversed--her head had fallen on his shoulder when she fell asleep. She sat up and ran a hand through her hair as the door opened and Roy came in.

"The others are gone home to rest," he said, "except for Juliet, and Clara, of course. Shall we head home also? Clara's willing to chauffeur."

"Is it safe to move Envy?" Riza asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Clara says she wants to keep him here so she can monitor him, but we're free to go," Roy said. He had obviously showered that morning, but the clothes he wore were still rumpled and dirty. "We all need fresh clothes anyhow. And I'm going to become homicidal if I don't get to shave."

Riza looked over at Edward, who was staring off into space. "Is that all right with you, Edward?" she asked, taking his hand.

Edward shook his head. His gaze fell on Envy and remained there.

"Do you want us to come back for you later?"

A pause, and then Edward nodded.

* * *

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Riza walked through the front door of her house. The foyer was a mess. Riza knew that she had some serious cleaning to do, since they hadn't taken the time to do so when they were fleeing for their lives. How was it that almost two months ago, her life had been ordinary and unexciting? The Riza of that time felt like a distant memory.

Beside her, Roy heaved a big sigh. "It's hard to believe we've been through so much crap in such a relatively short period of time," he commented.

"I know," Riza agreed. She turned to address Clara and Juliet, who were still in the car. "You'll call if anything changes with Envy?" she asked.

"I've got you on speed dial," Clara replied.

"He'll pull through," Juliet said confidently. "He's very stubborn."

Riza wished for a chance to confirm that for herself. She prayed fervently that Envy would recover.

After saying their farewells, Juliet and Clara drove away, leaving the Mustangs to clean house.

* * *

Police car after police car nearly continually drove into the area. A couple of ambulances, and several unmarked white vans were also present. The police inspected the area, checking bodies for signs of life, slowly building a forensics report as to what had happened.

"It looks as though there was mutiny in the ranks," one officer commented.

"Either that, or the person or persons responsible left the scene," another said.

"With all this carnage? I doubt anyone could get away that easily."

Someone barked for more officers to examine the many tire tracks, and the conversing officers hurried over.

* * *

One step at a time. One step at a time. One painful step after another.

Lust hissed through her teeth as her wounded arm complained. It was hard enough to walk without jostling the injured limb; never mind going at anything faster than a handicapped snail's pace. She squeezed the area more tightly with her good hand, ignoring the flare of pain. The bleeding seemed to have slowed to a trickle, finally.

It was over. It was all over. In one single day, the entire family had been destroyed. Lust could probably count the survivors of the bloody battle on one hand, including herself. She was still baffled as to how a small group of people not even associated with law enforcement could have the skills required to obliterate nearly one hundred experts in combat and weaponry.

How had Dante underestimated them? The family leader's confidence seemed well-earned; after all, they so greatly outnumbered their opposition. They were used to attacking, destroying, killing. Even the police hadn't been able to slow them down, despite their many attempts. So what had happened?

How did they lose? How?

Whatever the reason, the undeniable fact was that it was over. Lust had no comrades left to turn to. Any who survived--and that number was likely very little--would be hospitalized and then imprisoned. It probably wouldn't be long before she was tracked down and arrested as well.

For the first time ever, Lust felt pangs of regret at accepting her title and rank in the family. Had she known that it would be doomed when she inherited the title from her deceased mother twelve years ago, maybe she would have refused. Maybe she would have tried doing something with her life, instead of devoting herself to the family.

Maybe this...maybe that...there were so many maybes. In the end, Lust was still stuck dragging herself down the shoulder of an unpaved road, with a bullet in her arm and no foreseeable future.

Why hadn't she just died back at the prison? Then she wouldn't be stuck wondering what was going to happen to her.

She heard a car approaching and shifted herself to the right a bit, so she wouldn't be run over. Her sluggish attention was refocused, however, when she realized the car hadn't passed her. She turned and saw that it had pulled over to the shoulder and parked a few feet behind her.

Great. So someone was about to, what, mug her now? Lust wasn't in the mood.

The passenger window rolled down, and, to her shock, the former Sloth stuck her head out. "You look terrible," she commented.

Lust swallowed. What should she do? Normally she would probably try to kill Sloth, or Juliet, whatever, according to the rules of the family. But what did it matter now? Her loyalties had died along with the people. Whether she killed Sloth--Juliet--or not wouldn't really affect her future or her standing with anyone at the moment.

"Inform me why I shouldn't," Lust said, trying to sound sarcastic, but ending up sounding pained.

"Are they all dead?" Juliet asked.

Lust shrugged, which was a mistake, as her shoulder complained. "Probably. They all looked dead. So I guess you won."

"Lucy?"

Lust stiffened at hearing her real name for the first time in twelve years.

"We're headed back to Clara's," Juliet went on. "Would you like some help?"

"Why do you care?" Lust asked tiredly. "Why would you trust me not to strangle you or something?"

"Because you're in pain, and you don't have any gain to kill me anymore," Juliet said.

Lust bit her lip as her arm complained again. Both were true. What the hell, it wasn't like she had a plethora of options left. And if it was a trap, and Juliet planned to kill her, who cared? "...Yes, I guess I would," she finally said.

Juliet smiled, and the car pulled up a little closer. Juliet reached behind herself and unlocked the back door. "Hop in," she said.

* * *

**_Wednesday, May 17th_**

"Glad you made it," Clara said as she opened the door for Riza. "Where's the husband?"

"At home, getting some well-deserved rest," Riza replied.

Clara nodded as she stepped back and let Riza walk in. "I know you're here for Edward, but let me give you a quick check-up first," she said.

Riza agreed, and the two moved to the corner of Clara's great room that was set up like a doctor's office. Clara unwound all of Riza's bandages and checked her injuries. The bruises around her neck were beginning to fade a little, and the cuts on her hands had scabbed over. Clara cleaned the cuts and changed the bandages while she brought Riza up to speed. "Juliet finally moved back home yesterday," she said.

"What was going on there?" Riza asked.

"Cleanup. We left a bunch of bodies behind," Clara said. "All of the bodies were given a proper burial at some undisclosed location, by some mystery cleaning crew she's being tight-lipped about, and then the house was put back in order. Juliet dragged Lucy along with her, so I guess our former Lust has a new home now."

Riza nodded. "That's good." She winced as Clara examined her pinky. "What about Envy?"

"You'll be ecstatic to know that he's ended the suspense and opened his eyes."

"He has?" Riza exclaimed, her head swiveling towards the door that led to Envy's room.

"Yes. He's falling in and out of consciousness, kind of like his nocturnal brother, but he seems to have gotten out of his vegetative state. When I checked on them about half an hour ago, both were asleep."

Riza waited until Clara had finished before standing and striding over to the door. In case the boys were asleep, she opened the door quietly.

Edward was indeed gone to the world. He had fallen asleep in his chair, and was now slumped over on the bed, resting his head on his good arm and cradling the other in his lap. Dark circles under his eyes indicated a lack or proper rest. Envy, however, was actually awake. His current activity seemed to be lifting up strands of Edward's hair, pulling them straight, and then letting them go. Even that seemed like a difficulty for him.

Envy's eyes turned to the door when Riza poked her head through. "NRA...knew you'd show up," he said, his voice rough. He too had circles under his eyes, and was still unhealthily pale, though he had been unhealthily pale to begin with.

Riza closed the door behind her and moved to sit in the chair still set up beside Edward. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Like sh--er, crap." Envy shifted a bit, painfully. "So...I've been out for five days? That true?"

"Yes it is. We were beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up. Are you able to move?" Riza asked.

"Sort of. Nurse Joy and Sunshine says I need, ow...to stay under her care for another few days or so," Envy said, his lip curling at the mere thought. "However, I'm begging you to kidnap me."

"I'd love to, but you should stay in bed until Clara gives you the thumbs up," Riza told him.

"All you adults ever do is plot against me," Envy complained.

Edward suddenly sat up, looking as though he had been woken up from a really great dream. Then his eyes landed on Envy, and he started. "Envy!" he exclaimed.

"Hi," Envy said.

"Oh my God, you're awake!" Edward impulsively hugged his brother. Envy got his voice back full force when he let out a loud "OW!"

Edward let go. "Sorry," he apologized, "but you're alive." He glared. "Don't you ever scare me like that again or I'll kick your ass, you _jerk_!"

"Try me," Envy shot back. "Even with two bullet holes I can still take you."

Edward sobered instantly and looked away. Envy blinked in surprise, confused at what he had said to cause the reaction. Riza watched Edward's back, then reached out and touched it. "Edward," she said, "what that woman said was a lie. You can't blame yourself for what happened."

"Yes I can," Edward said to the wall.

"No," Riza said firmly. "It's not your fault she and her gang launched an assault on us. It's not your fault we got hurt."

"Yes it is."

"It is not," Envy snapped, glaring. "It's Mother's fault for never letting us have the choice of leaving or not. She's the one who tried to kill anybody who tried to make a life for themselves outside the fa--outside the gang. _She's_ the one who set those standards. _She's_ the one who guilt-trips everyone for the rest of their lives so they feel like they don't have anyone to turn to but her. It's another way she keeps us all isolated. You figured this crap out first, remember?"

Edward stiffened, and glanced at Envy through his bangs.

"Edward, none of us blames you," Riza said gently. "So you shouldn't blame yourself."

"It's stupid to," Envy declared, wincing as one of his injuries complained.

Edward didn't say anything for a moment, but then let the stiffness out of his back and slumped. "I'll think about it," he said.

Envy and Riza exchanged a glance, and Riza shrugged. It would have to do. She reached over and gave Edward a hug from behind, and he turned around partways so he could stick his face in her shoulder and hide it. Riza felt a small part of her shirt dampen, and she realized that Edward didn't want to cry in front of his brother. So she said nothing and simply stroked his hair. Envy looked down at his hands.

"I'm sorry," Edward said again.

"Hey, can we crash at your place when I get out of here?" Envy asked suddenly, looking back up at Riza. "You've got some damn comfy beds."

Riza smiled, and thought she felt Edward smile against her shoulder. Maybe he didn't, and she was just imagining it. "Of course you can," she said.

* * *

There. No cliffie. Let's all be happy!  
And no, it's not over. One chappie left...


	18. Epilogue: Aftermath

Nuuuu! Er, I mean, noooo! Alas, we knew it had to end at some point, so why I am SO DEPRESSED?!

...Er, anyway. Yep, this is it. The last part of a sequel-less fic that seems to be pretty well-liked. I figure some of you might want a sequel, but I have learned my lesson about starting up sequels to please the readers and not having an actual plot. So this is it for the Family universe.

For the very last time here, manymanymany thanks to **YourFavoritePlushie, Bar-Ohki, (blank space), tiggeranddash, Houran, extra cheesy, Marie blaze**, and **Muria** for reviewing. Because of you guys, I updated a lot. Thanks for sticking it out and shoving it to almost 200 reviews, and having patience with me when I fell off the cliff and left you guys hanging like three times. It really means a lot to me!

(Cue sappy violin music)

Ah, but anyhow. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Ladies and gents, our epilogue.

* * *

**Epilogue: Aftermath  
****_Monday, May 22nd_**

Riza poked her head in the room. "Phone, Edward. It's Alphonse." She tossed him the cordless, and Edward caught it without looking. He put it to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Hi, Brother! How are you doing?_"

"Better, a lot better. What about you?"

"_Oh, I'm doing great. Everyone at school's asking me about my battle scars, so I made up this story about going to Korea as an undercover agent to--_"

"Hold on. You went back to school already?" Edward said, bewildered.

Alphonse chuckled on the other end. "_Well, I feel so much better, and I hate to fall behind on my schoolwork. I had to beg Mom for about an hour before she'd agree, though._"

"Wow. It means that much to you?"

"_Yeah, I guess so. Oh, did Winry call you like she said she would?_" Alphonse asked.

Edward blushed. Yes, Winry had indeed called, and they had had a very interesting conversation, which had lasted about four hours. "Um...yeah, she did," he hedged.

"_Ohhh, so she DID mention it!_"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Edward lied.

Envy snickered, then winced. "Ow."

"Stop laughing," Edward commanded.

"_So what did you say?_" Alphonse asked.

"To what?" Edward demanded, still pretending nothing had happened.

"_Brother, I can tell you're hiding something. I'll find out anyway, so you might as well tell me,_" Alphonse said reasonably.

Edward slumped in his chair, making a face at the wall.

More snickers from Envy. "Ow. Damn."

"Knock it off," Edward snapped.

"What? Your face is too funny to ignore," Envy teased.

Edward glared. "Shut the hell up before I stab a screwdriver into your eye," he threatened.

Envy stuck his tongue out at his younger brother.

"_Brother, are you threatening Envy again_?"

"No. Now tell me how school went, since you insisted on going."

"_Don't try to change the subject!_" Alphonse exclaimed playfully.

The phone beeped. "Hang on a sec, Al, I think someone else is calling." Edward pulled the phone away from his ear and hit the Flash button without a confirmation from his brother. He then put the phone back to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Edward?_"

Edward automatically started to blush. "Hi, Winry," he said.

Envy made the universal gagging motion, using the hand not held in a sling, and Edward flipped him the bird.

"_Hey, um, so listen...are you any good at science?_"

"Science? Sort of, why?"

"_Well I'm not. I was kind of hoping you might be able to help me out?_"

"Like a tutor?" Edward asked, absently running a hand through his hair. "I've never tutored anybody before--"

"_Oh I know, but none of my friends are free to help, and I'm in serious need. Could you come over tomorrow?_" Winry asked.

"Tomorrow? Sure, I guess," Edward said, attempting to sound nonchalant.

"_Thanks. I really appreciate it. See you then?_"

"Okay." Edward clicked back over. "Al? You still there?"

"_Was it Winry_?" Al asked.

Edward made a I-can't-believe-he's-asking-me-a-question-like-this face. "If I say it was the tooth fairy, would you believe me?"

Envy snorted.

"Shut UP!" Edward ordered him.

* * *

**_Tuesday, May 23rd_**

Riza's eyes opened, and she sat up. Nature was calling. She rolled out of bed, not even disturbing a peacefully snoring Roy, and made her way to the master bathroom.

A moment later, feeling much better, Riza left her and Roy's room and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. A light caught her eye, and she turned. The light was coming from behind the study door. Riza walked over and opened the door wider, sticking her head in.

The TV had been left on. Riza sighed a little and walked around the couch facing it to turn it off manually. The room jumped into darkness.

"Hey, I was watching that."

Riza turned towards the sofa, seeing nothing in the darkness. "You sound like you just woke up, Envy," she commented.

"A side affect of drugs," Envy said, sleepiness in his voice. The sound of him shifting on the couch reached Riza's ears.

"It's almost two in the morning," Riza said in the general direction of the couch. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Envy sighed, then yawned. "I couldn't sleep."

Riza walked carefully to the corner and turned on the unobtrusive floor lamp. Its low-watt bulb gave the room enough light to see, but not enough to startle either of them. Envy had pulled himself into a sitting position on the couch, looking sleepy. His headband was wrapped around his good wrist, and his hair looked as though he had just survived several tornadoes and a roller coaster ride.

Wordlessly, Riza reached towards the TV and picked up the comb lying on top. Just as wordlessly, Envy swung around so his back faced the couch's extra cushion, resting his sling arm on the arm of the couch. Riza sat behind him and started to work the multitude of tangles out of his hair, which had grown even longer.

"Do you have bad dreams like Edward?" Riza asked as a conversation starter.

"No. Edward's were horrible," Envy said, resting his chin on the hand of his good arm. "He'd wake up screaming and crying in the middle of the night. When he didn't wake up, he'd talk in his sleep, saying he was sorry and worthless and all sorts of crap. I'd know, because I was usually there to calm him down." He yawned again. "I just can't fall asleep is all."

"Hmm," was Riza's commentary. After several times, she had developed a specific technique to untangle the jungle known as Envy's hair, and had become quite efficient at it.

They sat in silence for a moment. When Riza was about half finished, Envy spoke again. "You know, it's funny. I was almost certain I was gonna die. Funny how life throws you a curveball."

"Why were you so sure?" Riza asked, not having to ask to know exactly what he was talking about.

"I just...I don't know, intuition? Something just told me that I wouldn't make it. So, I made it my business to make sure you and Edward made it."

Riza tilted her head slightly. "Us? Why?" she asked.

"Because he needs you," Envy yawned. "And you probably need him. You guys are probably like the ultimate mother-son team or some kind of sentimental crap like that. After all those damn years of getting abused by Mother, he needs a real mom. And you probably wanted some kids anyhow."

Riza smiled. "I did. I hadn't expected to receive a full-grown child and a nearly full-grown child, but I did."

Envy glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't dispute it.

"You know, you never told me your name," Riza said.

"Oh, didn't I?" Envy said.

The tone of his voice made Riza wonder if she had missed out on some joke. "Have you?" she asked, wondering if he had mentioned it and forgot.

"Ed told you, actually," Envy said. "You've been using it ever since you met me."

Riza paused with the comb's teeth in the middle of working out a knot. "Envy is your _real_ name?" she said, unable to hide her surprise.

"Yep. Envy Sinclair, sans middle name, is what my birth certificate says. From the moment I was born Mother planned for me to be one of the Chosen. I guess it was her way of permanently tying me to the fa--gang," Envy said.

Riza sat silently for a moment before starting to work through the tangles again. "Have you ever considered having it legally changed?" she asked straightforwardly.

"I have," Envy admitted. "But then I decided not to. A name's just a name, you know. I can choose whether or not it screws up my life, and I've already chosen not, so I don't care. Besides, what would I change it to? Cain? Archie? Bradley? _Jack_? Can you imagine _me_ with some humdrum normal name?"

"Hmm." Riza smiled. "Now that you mention it, you do seem like the type to have an unusual name."

"Exactly," Envy said.

Just as Riza was combing out the final tangles in Envy's hair, an earsplitting scream made them both jump. Envy was on his feet and out the door in a matter of seconds, and Riza quickly followed him. By the time she got to the bottom of the stairs, Envy was at the top and running down the upstairs hall. Riza took the stairs two at a time and just managed to glimpse the tips of Envy's hair as he flashed into Edward's room. She hurried after him.

Edward was sitting bolt upright like someone had stuck a livewire in his back. He gripped his upper arms tightly, his hair covering his face, which was pointed at his knees. Even from the doorway, Riza could see that he was trying to control his shaking.

"What was it?" Envy was asking as Riza went up to the bedside.

Edward just shook his head. Envy's good fist clenched and unclenched, as if he was at a loss for what to do.

"Edward?" Riza said softly.

He didn't move.

Riza sat down next to Edward. She looked up at Envy, who mouthed "Bad dream". Nodding grimly, she reached over and pulled Edward into her arms. At first he didn't even react, as if he didn't notice or didn't care. But after a few moments, he shifted as usual so he could rest his forehead on her shoulder.

Envy sat down on the bed next to Riza. "You want us to hang out with you until you calm down?" he asked.

Edward nodded into Riza's shoulder.

"Then we will," Riza said, rubbing his back. "It's all right, Edward."

"We'll be here," Envy seconded.

"Thank you," Edward mumbled.

Riza and Envy exchanged relieved smiles.

* * *

**_Saturday, October 3rd_**

"I'm sixteen today," Edward said, shifting a bit on his knees. "And...well, honestly, there were some times I didn't think I was going to make it to sixteen. But I did, so, here I am."

The gravestone stared back at him silently, coldly.

"Listen," Edward said, squeezing the stem of the single tulip he had brought between his hands, "my life's been really crazy since you died. And I've done a lot of stuff I'm not proud of. But the good news is that's all changed now. I found Dad again, and Al, even though I thought he was dead. I'm out of the gang, and they're all either dead or in jail anyway." He paused for a moment, his throat closing in on itself.

Alphonse picked up where his brother had left off. "And now Brother's going to my school," he said. "At first we thought he wasn't going to make it in, because he'd had such a big gap between years, but we convinced the school board that he'd been in homeschool all this time, so they let him in after he passed the admittance test."

"I'm getting a real education," Edward jumped back in. "And it's a nice school."

"A private school," Alphonse added.

Edward smiled slightly and rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes. "And...now me and Envy are living with Riza and Roy. They moved back to the Grand Estates, or Blond Estates, whatever, so that I could be close to Dad and Al."

"So now I get to see all three of my brothers all the time," Alphonse said. "And Miss Juliet comes to visit every once in a while, too."

"You didn't really know Envy, but he's changed too. I mean, he's still a jackass, but he's not committing crimes anymore. He's working to get his GED. But his motivation sucks. I keep having to make him study," Edward said.

Alphonse stifled a laugh. "He likes to pick Brother up and throw him around," he said.

"And then he calls me short!" Edward burst out angrily. "_After_ he slings me into the wall, the bastard!"

Alphonse laughed. "But still, things are working out really well," he went on, getting serious again. "It's kind of strange that between the two of us, we have three or four different groups of people we call family, but at least there are a lot of people who love us. And Brother finally gets to live like a normal teenager. He even has a girlfriend--"

"She's _not_ my girlfriend!" Edward burst out, turning red.

"--and a pet," Alphonse went on, as if his brother hadn't spoken. "And he gets good grades, and he's a really awesome older brother. I'm glad to have him back."

Edward and Alphonse smiled at each other, then turned back to the gravestone. "So, anyway," Edward said, laying the tulip down gently in front of the gravestone, "we thought you just might want to know what's going on with us. As you can see, we're okay now. It took a while to get there, but we're okay."

"We love you, Mom," Alphonse said.

"And we miss you," Edward finished.

The two brothers knelt side by side in front of their mother's grave for a moment. Then, Edward rose to his feet, brushing off his knees. Alphonse soon followed suit. "I'm glad we came, Brother," he said.

"So am I," Edward agreed. "I wanted Mom to see that I hadn't flushed my life completely down the toilet."

"You haven't," Alphonse told him firmly. "You're back where you belong. With your family. The _real_ one, I mean. Things can only go up."

Edward smiled at his brother, then hugged him. "Thanks, Al. I appreciate it." He let go, then stretched. "All right, enough sappy stuff!" he said, striding down the rows of gravestones. Alphonse followed about a pace behind. "It's my birthday, so I want to have fun!"

The last words reached the group waiting for them at the entrance to the Risembool Cemetery. "Fun?" Envy repeated as the two brothers approached. "_You're_ the one who wanted to travel halfway across the damn globe to come to a cemetery."

"Be nice," Riza commanded him.

"Did you tie up your loose ends?" Winry asked Edward.

Edward nodded. "I think Mom's happy for us."

Hohenheim smiled at this statement. "I couldn't agree more," he said, reaching down and squeezing Edward's and Alphonse's shoulders.

"So we can go? I'm freezing," Roy said.

"Roy, _you_ be nice too," Riza commanded.

The group exited the cemetery and went towards where they had parked the rented van. Along the way, Winry squeezed next to Edward and intertwined her fingers with his. "I'm glad you got to come visit your mom," she said to him in a low voice as Roy and Envy started to argue about which one of them was colder and Riza threatened to get her gun out again.

"Me too," Edward said. "But I know Mom wouldn't want me being depressed for my birthday."

"So where do you want to go next?" Winry asked him as Alphonse joined in the argument, loudly telling both complainers that it wasn't nice to fight on Edward's birthday.

"Somewhere with food. I'm starved," Edward said emphatically.

Hohenheim plowed into the argument with a, "I think that no one here is colder than I am because I'm the one without a coat!"

"That's because you're an absentminded idiot," Envy commented.

Roy wholeheartedly agreed with that sentiment, but didn't say so, as Hohenheim was still his boss.

"Guys, can we _please_ not fight?" Alphonse begged. "We should be celebrating Brother's birthday, not arguing about things like the temperature."

"Let them go at it," Edward said to him. "At least they're being themselves."

Alphonse glanced worriedly at Roy and Envy, who were the main instigators, Hohenheim, who kept adding how he was the worst off, and Riza, who could end up being the executioner, judging by the look on her face. "But--"

"Let's go get something to eat," Winry suggested. "That pizza place is still around the corner."

"Great. We'll call them in ten minutes and see if they're done," Edward said decisively.

He and Winry strode down the sidewalk hand-in-hand, as if the matter were settled. "Guys, wait!" Alphonse said, looking between Edward and Winry, and the feuders, before hurrying after the two who weren't yelling about freezing their asses off. "We shouldn't just leave them again! Miss Riza threatened to blow your brains out the last time we did that, Brother!"

"What else is new?" Edward asked.

It was true. Riza had threatened to blow Edward's brains out many times before, but she had to be _really_ angry to actually take out her gun and point it at him. Alphonse sighed and caught up with Edward and Winry. "Okay, I'll come, but just to keep you guys out of trouble!"

"Trouble? _Moi_? Al, you wound me," Edward said, pretending to be hurt.

Alphonse glared at Edward. "Don't forget I know what you're like now, Brother. I'm sticking with you whether you like it or not."

Edward shrugged, then smiled and looped an arm around his brother's neck. He didn't mind at all. That's the way it was supposed to be. "All right, I'll take you at your word. I hope you mean it."

A smile spread over Alphonse's face as he put his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Of course, Brother. You know I do."

_And they mostly lived happily ever after, despite Envy's efforts._

* * *

Ah, crud, I'm about to cry…

Anyway, thanks again, and have a nice day/evening/night. Keep reading!


End file.
